Genjutsu Gone Right
by SandStormHero
Summary: Attempting a common genjutsu, without meaning to Naruto ends up using too much power spreading it across his village. And Possibly further. Waking up the next day, he finds those around him responding to his words a bit more strongly than before. NO SLASH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, this is my first try at a Naruto story so I hope you enjoy. I have list of girls I already plan to use that I will post at the bottom. Keep an eye out if you're interested. Also, please keep in mind that everything I post here I also have on AO3 so keep that in mind in case anything happens.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not Own Naruto nor am I receiving any form of payment for this story.**

 **Tag(s) Oral, Facial.**

 **Girl(s): Sakura.**

 **Editor: Lords of Ember Celica**

 **Word Count: 8678**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

It was a bright and sunny day, a common sight for the average citizen of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The birds were singing, a cool gentle breeze was blowing, and the people were happy. All save for one red eyed Jōnin who was currently being followed (or harassed depending on your perspective) by none other than the villages orange clad knucklehead himself, Naruto Uzumaki.

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

" _No_."

"Please?"

" _No!_ For the last time, Naruto, I am not teaching you genjustu!" Stopping in the middle of the busy road, Kurenai Yuhi couldn't hold back the migraine pounding from the inside of her skull any longer. Why today, why did it have to be _today_ of all days that Naruto singled her out as his target to annoy?

She never should have agreed to meeting up with Anko at the bar last night, because this was always how it turned out. She would say just one drink, Anko would talk her into one more, which becomes another, then another, and before she knew it she's waking up naked in her friends trash covered apartment with a hangover the likes of which only one who had witnessed the Kyūbi attack first hand could hope to understand.

"Please!" Naruto pleaded, ignoring the obvious pain in the ass he was being to the young woman. As long as he got what he wanted in the end, who cares if he got on one person's nerves?

"I am not your Jōnin sensei," Kurenai reminded the thirteen year old. Speaking slowly and deliberately she continued, "Kakashi is. Why are you not bothering him to teach you?" bringing her fingers to massage her temples, she closed her eyes against the brightness of the sun. Kami she needed a drink.

Naruto flashed her a bright smile with narrowed eyes. "He-He," he chuckled. "Actually, I was earlier. Kinda. I asked him if he would teach me a cool ninjustu, like the ones he's been teaching Sasuke, that bastard. You remember the awesome fireball thing he can do? Well, it's only fair for me to have something like that since we're on the same team. But get this, after about an hour of chasing him down and begging him, he told me that a Hokage needs to be well rounded! And if I really wanted to take the old man's hat one day I need learn genjustu too! So then I asked him if he'd teach me that instead, but he told me **you** were the best genjustu user in the whole village. He also told me that if I want to become Hokage, I need to learn from the best! So, please teach me some awesome genjustu so I can kick the arrogant prick's ass next time we spar!"

Wincing at the sheer volume the young teen was shouted at her with, it took every ounce of self-control she had to resist placing a never ending sleep genjustu on the little brat. " _Damn you Kakashi_ ," she swore bitterly. She would remember this, and he would pay, dearly.

"Naruto-kun," she breathed, "genjustu requires chakra control. _Precise_ chakra control. You barely possess any control at all. There isn't anything I _could_ teach someone at your current skill level." If this news was meant to discourage the boy, it didn't work. At all. If anything his stupid grin only grew in size, blinding Kurenai just as badly as the bright morning sun had when she first opened her eyes after rolling out of her friend's bed not an hour ago.

"Ah, don't worry about that, I'll figure it out later. Just teach me something, ANYTHING!"

"No!" she barked, "chakra control isn't something you can just 'worry about later'. Especially when concerning genjustu. If you can't measure the correct amount needed in the correct order, the justu will either not work correctly, or will do… nothing. That's it. It just won't work. Now please stop following me!" she all but begged as the pounding of her head intensified. All she wanted was to take a hot shower and bury herself deep within the sheets of her bedroom where the vile sun could no longer torture her.

Naruto's grin faded somewhat as he stared at the overheated sensei, seeming to consider her words. Just as soon as Kurenai relaxed however his grin was back, the brunet's warning completely forgotten. "Whatever?" he shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, I don't really get it but, are you gonna teach me something or not?"

Finger's twitching; the red eyed woman couldn't decide between smacking the child or pulling her own hair out in frustration. Finally, the sun, the hangover, and just being around the hyperactive blond became too much.

"Fine!" she threw her hands up in the air, "whatever. If it means getting you off my back I'll teach you a damn genjutsu!"

Throwing his fist up in triumph, the blond cheered, only adding to Kurenai's pounding migraine. The woman only gave him a second before forcing his attention back on her, eager to get this as well as the day itself over with.

"Pay close attention because I'm only going to show you this once." Naruto nodded his head dramatically, stars nearly glimmering in his eyes as he watched the young woman with an intensity that as much as it pained her to admit, would have been nice to see her own squad possess for a change. "Okay," she sighed.

"These are the hand seals, do them with me." Flashing through the seals slowly enough for the blond to keep up with, the woman's fingers twisted to form the snake, rabbit, and tiger seals. "This is the Persuading Tongue Jutsu. Low level, easy to learn, and even easier to shrug off if you even think about using it for one of your pranks," she warned with a narrow eyed glare.

"It's generally used on civilians or captured genin to get them to reveal information they are hiding. It can't force someone to do anything, but it does make someone more prone to suggestion. However, it's also very easy to detect, so even if you do manage to pull it off it probably won't be of much use."

Naruto wasn't listening to a word she was saying at this point. Instead he was too busy repeating the hand seals she had shown him, trying to copy the simple three seal pattern with his clumsy fingers.

"Well, good luck," she waved as she turned to leave. Making no attempt to hide her eagerness to escape, she leapt as far from the child as she could without pause.

"Wait!" Naruto called as she landed on a roof above him, "that's it? You aren't gonna show me anything else?" He crossed his arms petulantly, glaring at the woman as if daring her to say yes.

"Find me again if you manage to get a squirrel or bird to come near you." She replied dismissively, pumping chakra into her legs to once again and ignoring the indignant 'hey!' that was throne her way as she disappeared into the throng of the village's business district. She'd decided to forgo a shower in favor of a dip at the hot springs to cure her raging hangover. Then, she had a certain silver haired pervert that needed a small talking to.

* **Training Ground Three** *

In a small clearing by an even smaller stream, a chipmunk could be seen gnawing on a nut fallen from a nearby tree. Suddenly, the small rodent's meal was interrupted by a wave of chakra nearly lifting it off its paws. Responding as any small animal would in its place, the moment it touched the ground its small frame disappeared into the forest, the only thing following it being a long and loud string of curses.

"Damn it!" the genin yelled into the sky with all the fury and fervor of a raging typhoon. Sweat poured down his face as he felt the last of his impressive chakra reservoir leave his body.

The sun that had been so high when he arrived and began practicing had dropped to the horizon, setting the sea of trees aflame with brilliant oranges and reds. Too tired to appreciate his favorite color bathing the landscape, Naruto lay breathless as he tried in vain to spot any remaining animals that hadn't fled for the safety of their burrows or nests.

He'd been at it for hours, performing the technique again and again at anything unfortunate enough to be spotted in the tall grass within his range. The process had sounded so simple, he was sure he would have it mastered by the end of the night. But he had yet to successfully snare even one critter, let alone get it to come up to him.

"Persuading Tongue Jutsu!" his voice cried out at the top of his lungs, sending a flock of nearby birds scattering into the sky. Unfortunately, just as every previous attempt, instead of a subtle stream of chakra seeping into his target, the life energy exploded from his body blasting everything in his path like a sonic boom.

With the last of his energy he cried out in frustration before falling onto his back, gasping for breath as his body ached and chest burned from exertion. Even a stamina freak like him had a limit, and he'd just about reached his.

Although he was nearly empty, that had never stopped him before, especially when it came to training. Still, he wanted to be home before dark and even if he wanted to stay all night, he doubted there were more than a handful of animals brave enough to stick around.

Thankfully, while the young demon container wasn't known for his rate of success, no one could say he had ever given up on anything he actually wanted. _Especially_ when he was told that it was impossible. And true to his nature, he managed to force himself to his feet, legs shaking and vision blurry, boldly declaring that this time he would get it for sure.

Summoning his chakra to mold it one more time, he dug around, trying to dredge up enough for what the technique required. "Persuading Tongue Jutsu!" he yelled out, sure that it would work! This time however it was to find no sudden surge of chakra like every time before. Rather, there hadn't been any chakra. At all. "FUCK!" he swore in a deep guttural growl, fists clenched and teeth gritting like flint on steel.

His body was sore from all the chakra that he'd burn through, but he wasn't about to give up that easy. The Hokage couldn't be a slacker after all! With this mentality, he formed the snake seal and once again tried to build up the chakra required for the jutsu.

It hurt, a lot actually. Straining ones chakra system was never a pleasant experience. But then again, Naruto had never been a stranger to pain. The problem was, as often the case, he'd overestimated his own abilities, and underestimated the strain he was putting his body under.

Trying to draw on chakra you didn't have never ended well for a ninja, especially so when that ninja happens to hold a powerful demon within their body. Without any natural chakra left to send through his system, his body did the only thing it could and began to draw from the one pocket of chakra he had left.

The Nine Tailed Fox.

Eyes clenched tight he failed to notice the red tinge that had begun seeping from his skin. Feeling the energy rush through his system, Naruto's eyes snapped open spotting a rabbit that had made the mistake of hopping out of the tall grass and into the clearing. And as the last two seals flashed, releasing the built up energy, even Naruto wasn't expecting the sudden explosion.

Much like Naruto, the Kyubi wasn't very good at moderation. If anything is was the only living being that made Naruto look like he had a clue what 'control' even meant. Still, answering the call of his jailer, the beast of chakra had released a tail of its power, more than overpowering the simple human technique. The explosion itself was also highly unusual as instead of the typical violent sort that left behind creators and trails of smoke in its wake, it passed through like a gentle breeze.

Scattering in all directions and stretching further than the blond could track. By the time it was finally over all he could do was stumble backwards looking around in shock, trying to see if anything had happened as a result of the massive surge of chakra he'd just pulsed out. As soon as the jutsu ended everything seemed to return to normal, not even the blades of grass at his feet any worse for wear.

Glancing at his hands, he stared at them in wonder, as though they might explain what had just occurred. It wasn't until his ears caught the feint sound of footsteps that he even remembered the rabbit, only to find it standing at his feet.

"Huh," was all that he could manage, his mind suddenly succumbing to the numb exhaustion. "I'm gonna be Hokag-" And he was out like a light, back on the grass and eyes drawn fully shut. Completely unaware what his final attempt had really accomplished. And the effects it would have on the ninja world itself.

* **Morning** *

"Idiot!"

"Waste of time…"

"Hmmm."

Bright and early, three ninja stood around the fallen blond. Having looked for him all morning only to find him were they were supposed to meet up and train annoyed more than just one of them. So, seeing Sakura wind her foot back to strike, neither Sasuke nor Kakashi felt the need to step in as she kicked their teammate awake.

Gasping and clutching his stomach in pain, Naruto looked around in a daze. Spotting his team, he blinked, scratching his head. "What are you guys doing in my apartment?" He let out a long yawn. What little patience Sakura had for the blond ran out as she as her fist rose, crashing into his skull. Thus, the three were forced to awaken the unconscious ninja all over again.

After his rude awakening, Naruto had looked around only curse at his lack of talent. Being perfectly honest, he'd been hoping he wouldn't have to spend too much time on this aspect of training, genjutsu being his least favorite type of combat due to how boring it was. And here he had gone and wasted an entire day with nothing to show.

To make matters worse, despite having a full night's rest he still felt drained for some reason. Normally a few hours was all he needed to recover no matter how hard or how long he trained. But call it from sleeping outside, or maybe he'd just trained harder than usual, he couldn't quite pull his energy levels up to par.

The rest of the morning went as normal as expected, not counting Naruto's sudden lack of enthusiasm for everything. Once the blond stopped yawning, team seven began their training, running drills with a few light spars. Repeating this until noon, they went on their way to the Hokage tower to receive their mission for the day.

Meanwhile, the blond continued to coast through the day in an exhausted daze, not even putting up a fuss as Iruka handed them their D-Rank assignment. That turned out to be the final straw as it was made abundantly clear something was wrong with their usually dynamic and over the top teammate. As much as they had thought, wished, or on more than one occasion threatened him to be quite, one of them snapped. Having become accustom to having her blond comrade filling the silence with white noise, Sakura spoke up, deciding even Naruto was better than nothing.

"What were you even doing out there all night?"

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Naruto turned to his teammate perking up a bit at having his crush's attention. "Huh? Oh, just training, Sakura-chan! You don't get this strong without giving it everything you've got!" Putting on a boastful laugh, he was disappointed when the pink haired kunoichi wasn't as impressed as he'd hoped.

Narrowing her brow, she looked him over from head to toe before staring him in the eye, suspicion clearly evident. " _What_ exactly were you training in? Because your clothes don't look any worse than they do normally, and the training grounds don't look like a warzone." Focused on Sakura, the blond failed to notice his male teammate's attention shift to their conversation.

"Ah, genjutsu," Naruto admitted sheepishly. He became even more so as he saw Sakura scoff in disbelief. "No really! I even got it to work, once… I think." Scratching his head, his memory of least night was fuzzy at best. By the end everything seemed to just blend together.

"Sure you did," the pink teen smirked.

"R-Really!" Naruto insisted.

"Geez Naruto, would you quit trying to copy Sasuke-kun already?" Seeing the blond blink incredulously, the girl just laughed. "Everyone knows the Uchiha clan are the best when it comes to genjutsu."

Clenching his fist, the blond turned to glare at his male teammate. Of course he had to be a natural at that too. Damn it, wasn't there anything he could do better than the Uchiha bastard? Turning back to the young girl, his mood had soured greatly.

"Man, Sakura," he groaned. "Do you have to bring him up every day?" To that the young girl just flipped her hair, showing just how much she thought of his opinion. Glaring at the floor, Naruto frowned, speaking under his breath. "I'd like to see you go a day without bringing him up." Not expecting his crush to have heard him, when she turned Naruto clamed up immediately, preparing to apologize.

"Fine."

Blinking, he stared at his friend as though she'd grown a second head. "Huh?!" Not repeating herself, Sakura sneered as normally as she always did before running forward to walk with her own crush. Naruto watched her go, scratching his head in confusion.

Before he had a chance to question her response further, Kakashi announced that they had arrived at the site of their mission. Stretching out all around them was a massive farm that went on as far as the eye could see in every direction. Cattle, pig, sheep, even a giant field of corn that went on for acres just waiting to be harvested. No one looked happy, well, except for Kakashi, who pulled out his faithful copy of Icha-Icha Paradise and flipped it to the dog-eared page he'd marked.

Getting pulled into harvesting duty for the farm they'd been hired to help for the day, Naruto never had the chance to wonder what had happened. Having the most hands available thanks to his Shadow Clones, he went out to the field with instructions to pluck each ear by hand. Sakura seemed to have lucked out getting milking duty while Sasuke got to pick last, getting stuck with herding the sheep.

Shuffling down the path back to the village, the sun had dropped to the horizon signaling the day's end. Naruto, Sakura and yes, even Sasuke all appeared ready to drop after the day they'd been put through.

Despite the dirt on her face and the smell of her own sweat, Sakura fixed her hair as best she could before cuddling up to her favorite Uchiha. "Hey, Sasuke-kun," she smiled sheepishly. "If you don't have any plans for tonight, how about grabbing a bite to eat when we get back? Or if you want, maybe something more…private?" with a twinkle of hope in her eye, the pinkette flinched back when she was met with a stony glare.

Grumpy from his sore muscles and the smell of sheep still clinging to his skin, the Uchiha turned to the girl, perhaps a bit meaner than usual. "I just finished spending an entire day herding barn animals, why the hell would I want to spend my night with one?" he shot her down, actually speeding up his pace to get away from her faster.

Sakura looked as though he had just punched her in the stomach. Trying not to appear too hurt by his rejection, all she could do was smile and laugh it off as best she could. "O-Okay," she smiled just a bit too wide. "I get it, you're tired. Maybe another time." By this point he wasn't even paying attention, staring forward as the shadows of the forest began to fuse.

Glaring at his rival, Naruto spared his crush a look of concern before strolling next to her, a bright smile on his face. "Ah, hey Sakura-chan, why don't you just forget about that bastard already?" he asked happily. "Go on a date with me instead! I bet I can get you a good deal at Ichiraku's!"

Laughing at how great a time that sounded, Naruto was prepared for the verbal, and possibly physical berating Sakura was oh so ready to dole out. It'd hurt, but it would also cheer up his crush. Which is why when it didn't come, he actually had to stop and glance at her.

Jumping back, Naruto's eyes were wide at Sakura's expression. She was glaring, looking every bit prepared to punch him as she usual, but the blow never came. Rather, she just continued to glare at him more disgusted by the second until finally she spoke.

"Sure, why not?" sighing as she said it, her tone seemed almost depressed; if not defeated.

"What?! Really?" the blond couldn't help but ask. And so happy, he didn't even notice the grimace on her face as she glared with displeasure. Still, a date was a date. And he wasn't about to waste whatever bazaar cosmic alignment that needed to happen for his Sakura-chan to finally say yes.

For the rest of the trip the team was silent, all but Naruto who went on to explain, in great detail, all the different flavors of ramen there were and which ones she would like the best. Arriving at the gate, Kakashi left his squad with a claim he had a report to fill out. Sasuke walked away without a word, leaving the two remaining genin all alone.

Naruto glanced over at his female friend with a genuine smile on his face. While others disregarded her as ordinary or plane, he only ever saw her as beautiful. True, she may not have been an early bloomer like some other girls in their class, but that didn't make her budding figure any less appealing in his eyes. If anything it added to her unique charm. When others saw Ino's curvy figure or Hinata's wide hips they would immediately discount his little cherry blossom, forgetting just how young she really was, and thus the potential for when she herself finally bloomed.

Her pale skin, her pink lips that curved with an adorable cupids bow, the gentle swell of her rear beneath the red qipao dress she always wore, Naruto would be lying if he said he hadn't taken a few peeks underneath during their morning training. The form fitting bike shorts left little to the imagination. And of course the bright pink hair was always an exotic treat. Others might only see a plane young girl, but Naruto saw much, much more. She was unique, one of a kind, and special, he was sure of it. Just as he was sure that one day he would become the Hokage.

Which is why Naruto was itching with nervous excitement. A stark contrast to the bored and somewhat irritated expression of his teammate. Still, the blond was determined to show his crush the best time he could and happily made up for her lack of conversation by talking enough for the both of them.

"…and you know what Iruka said then?" the blond fished. Sakura stared ahead, eyes drawn to half lids as though she were about to fall asleep. "He said, Naruto, you were supposed to aim at the targets, not the examiner!" Laughing uproariously, Sakura's lack of interest was finally starting to get to him. His joy quickly tapered off to a weak chuckle, leading him to glance worriedly at his bored friend.

"Um, oh, ah, hey!" he forced a smile, "look, Ichiraku!" Grabbing her wrist he pulled her forward, nearly off of her feet, as he raced toward the ramen stand. "Get ready for some of the best food you've ever had!" If he thought that would be enough to raise the girl's mood he would be sorely disappointed.

Reaching the stand, Sakura glared daggers at the jinchuriki, making no attempt to hide her true feelings. "That hurt, idiot!" As she tore her wrist free, Naruto jumped back, quickly apologizing for his overly eager actions. Sakura didn't want to hear any of it, walking right past him to duck into the ramen stall. "Let's just get this over with, Naruto," she sighed.

Standing awkwardly in the street, a look of pain flashed across the blond's face before he tentatively stepped in to follow after the pinkette. What could he be doing wrong? ' _Maybe she's just hungry_ ,' he told himself. ' _Maybe she'll cheer up a bit with some food in her stomach._ ' "Maybe…" he sighed. Rubbing the back of his neck, he wasn't so sure.

Having lost some of his earlier enthusiasm, Naruto silently took his seat next to his date, stealing a glance as he did. She didn't look angry any more, thankfully, but had reverted back to her zombie like revere. And honestly, the young man couldn't decide which was better.

Per tradition, upon seeing their favorite costumer both father and daughter greeted the young man with large smiles. And of course, seeing the boy she regarded as her little brother with an equally young girl, Ayame couldn't pass up the opportunity to poke fun at his expense. Naruto grinned in response.

"He-He, come on," he blushed bashfully. "Just give us two bowls of the house special, double the toppings." Salivating at the thought of the feast he was about to devour, he turned a cautious eye towards his teammate. "Don't worry about paying; this is on me, Sakura-chan!"

Raising an eyebrow, she simply rolled her eyes as though to say, 'no duh.'

Waiting for their food to arrive, Naruto didn't even try to make conversation this time. Sakura seemed satisfied to sit in silence, arms crossed and staring petulantly away from her date. All Naruto could do was twiddle his thumbs, his good mood dropping with each passing second.

Two bowls soon appeared on the counter, one before each of the only two customers currently present. While Naruto moved to dive right in, his female companion only took one look at the noodles and broth before turning her nose in the air. Taking notice, Naruto's brow wrinkled.

"Is… something wrong?" he offered, dropping the noodles he'd been about to shove into his mouth back into the broth to keep warm. In response, Sakura simply frowned, a look of distaste filling her features.

"I am not eating this," she declared. Seeing the pink haired girl push the bowl away, Naruto could only blink in confusion.

"W-What's wrong with it!?" he exclaimed, perplexed. If Sakura could look any more disgusted, it was then.

"It's just a bunch of oil and carbs! Do you know what that will do to my figure? My skin?! For god's sake Naruto, you really are an idiot."

For the first time that night, Naruto found his patience reaching their limit. Insult him? Sure, whatever. Join the club, he was pretty sure they had jackets. But insult Ichiraku's ramen? No woman was worth such an insult.

"Geez, Sakura-chan, can't you just try one bite?" he asked, pleading with her to budge even just this one small request. But the girl was having none of it, narrowing her eyes at her teammate.

"I. Am. Not. Eating This," she repeated herself with perfect clarity to insure he didn't mishear her. "Just because you can survive off of this slop doesn't mean everyone else can. Just…ask them if they have a salad or something. I might as well get something for agreeing to this disaster of a… _date._ " As the word slipped through her lips, Naruto watched her expression cringe, as though the word alone offended her tongue to be spoken.

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

For the entire night he'd been doing nothing but trying. Trying to make her laugh. Trying to show her a good time. Trying to make her forget about that bastard Sasuke. But all she did was frown and complain at every little thing. And he was the one ruining the night? Fuck that. Screwing his face up in anger, he turned back to his bowl and glared at the salty broth.

"Just eat your stupid ramen," he grumbled, suddenly wanting the date to be over just as much as Sakura.

Rather than the scathing reply he was expecting, or disquieted silence, Naruto was forced to look up at the sound of slurping sounding from his left.

Jaw dropping, Naruto was met with the sight of Sakura, the same girl that had just pushed the ramen away, now feeding a large helping of it into her puckered lips. Finishing a line of noodle, her chopsticks moved to a slice of grilled pork, popping the chopped meat into her open mouth with practiced ease. She noticed Naruto's gaze.

"What?" she asked, clearly still annoyed.

Not sure how to respond, Naruto just squinted, trying to make sense of his friends strange behavior. "Ah… how's it taste?" he tried. His friend just rolled her eyes.

"Like garbage." In contrast to her words, she went right back to eating, stealing a mouth full of broth before starting on another string of noodle. And all Naruto could do was watch, his brain becoming more twisted and confused by the second.

' _Then… what the heck are you eating it for_?' he wanted to ask. But instead chose to keep his mouth shut and finish his meal. The sooner they were done eating, the sooner he could go home. And he had had enough of crazy girls to last him a life time.

Through the rest of the meal Sakura ate like a machine, not fast so much as mechanical in all her motions. The bowl had been large enough that it would pose a challenge for even grown men. But she kept eating, shoveling food in even when it seemed like it would make her sick to do so. Until finally she was done.

Holding her stomach, Sakura looked more than little queasy. "H-Hey," she groaned. "Can we call it a night, please?" Naruto glanced at her, not saying anything. Thankfully, despite his soured mood, he had enough pity to recognize his friends discomfort and pushed his half eaten meal away. Sakura stood shakily from her seat as he paid for their meal.

Hands in his pockets, Naruto strolled down the street with a prominent frown on his face. The whole night had been a disaster and it had all been Sakura's fault. Said young woman was currently walking beside him trying to not lose her dinner in public.

First she agrees to a date with him, then she acts like he's the worst thing to ever walk the earth. Then she bad mouths ramen, Ichiraku's ramen at that, all before proceeding to shovel down an entire large deluxe serving to the point of getting sick. All the while, still treating him like crap! It was bad enough that it had ruined even HIS appetite.

The more he dwelled on it the more Naruto could feel his emotions burning in his chest. All he'd ever done was be nice to her, and for what? To be hit, insulted? All she had ever done was treat him badly in return. He'd thought if he could just show her how great a guy he was that Sakura would see how wonderful he was and ditch the bastard. But he was wrong, and he was finally, just now, seeing what kind of girl Sakura really was.

Stumbling forward, Sakura stopped in the middle of the road forcing the blond to turn. "T-This is my house," she pointed towards a modest home, common for a middle income family. Naruto wouldn't have been able to remember it if he tried.

The walk home had done the pink haired girl a bit of good. She no longer looked on the verge of sickness, though from the way she was holding her stomach it was clear she was still uncomfortable.

Naruto stared at her, eyes pinched in thought as he tried to decide if he should say anything. Then again, when had Naruto even been known for keeping his mouth shut?

"You know, I was really looking forward to tonight," he revealed, earning a look of confusion from his teammate. "I was really looking forward to having the chance to spend time with you and just… hang out."

Looking up from the ground, the blond's eyes glared at his teammate, though seeming more sad than angry. "But you… ruined it. You ruined the whole night." Naruto took a step forward. "You always hit me, and make fun of me, and call me an idiot, but I guess I just thought that was because Sasuke was always ignoring you. And I was okay with that, as long as it made you happy. Because, I thought it was that bastard making you act that way. But I was wrong. "

Pinching his brow, Naruto stared his teammate down trying to make sense of her dumbfounded expression. But that only made him angrier. It was one thing to intentionally hurt someone. At least that meant they thought about you. But Sakura, to her, he really was just an annoying idiot. An afterthought.

"You're just a bad person, and… and I don't care if Sasuke hurts you anymore. You want me to leave you alone? Fine." And pinching up his features, his brain searched around for the right way to leave. Finally, he blurted out the first insult that came to mind. "You know what? Suck my dick!"

Sakura's expression bloomed into an open gasp of disbelief. But seeing her jaw drop, Naruto felt no remorse. Though, perhaps a bit of nervousness.

She took a moment, perhaps digesting his words. No doubt she had been expecting him to stay a doormat forever. But surprise surprise, even Naruto Uzumaki has his limits. Though he had been expecting it, he still couldn't help but flinch back as Sakura regained her bearings, a flame of anger burning in her eyes.

Regret is a powerful thing. Naruto knew he was a bit of a hothead, and at times that had gotten him into more than one situation he could not come back from unscathed. This was looking to be one of those times.

As Sakura took her first step towards him, the blond could see her eyes burning with indignant fury. Never before had he seen his teammate so enraged. "Naruto," she spat, clenching her fingers into a fist. Knowing what his fate was to be, all Naruto could do was close his eyes and wait for the fist that would break his face.

Standing in the middle of the street, muscles tightened in anticipation, the sensation of a hand grabbing the front of his bright orange jumpsuit forced the blond to tremble. "Not in the face!" he begged, hoping to somehow avoid looking like he lost a fight to a brick wall. Yet as the seconds passed and the punch still never came, he dared to peek out of the corner of his eye and see what was stalling her.

Before he had the chance his world suddenly jerked off of his feet. Sakura was pulling him by the front of his jacket, leading him towards the small gap between her house and her neighbor's. _'Oh god, she's actually going to kill me!_ ' he gasped. Just as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he found himself being shoved backwards into the shadow of the ally.

It certainly looked that way, at least from the blond's perspective. Hands balled into fists at her sides, her face was frozen in a mask of unadulterated rage. Sakura stalked forward like an executioner all too happy to carry out her duty. "You _… pervert_ ," she spit out the word, venom spraying from her lips. Finally, hands out, she reached him in the shadows.

Having once again closed his eyes in acceptance, Naruto hadn't been expecting the sensation of a hand as gentle as it had been coming to rest on his chest. Peeking, Naruto found his fear curdle into confusion.

Still more pissed than he had ever seen her, Sakura was glaring at him with everything she had. Yet, she didn't hit him. He could feel her hand pushing against his chest, but otherwise, nothing. Unsure of what else to do he let her lead him deeper into the damp ally until he felt the sensation of a wall pressing into his back. "S-Sakura-chan?" he asked, stuttering her name. But she didn't answer, instead only giving his face one last look of disgust before sinking to her knees and grabbing the hem of his pants.

"Wh-?!" before he could get the word out, Sakura yanked down his pants along with his underwear down to his knees. Naruto could feel his cheeks begin to boil his face from the inside out.

In horrified disbelief, Naruto Uzumaki found his dick springing out of its hiding place right in front of his crush's face. Meanwhile, Sakura took one look at the shriveled looking worm before wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Turning her face away, her eyes were wide and shocked. Even still, curious as any girl her age, she couldn't resist stealing a peek out of the corner of her eyes before regretfully turning to give it her full attention. "You're disgusting," she hissed, glaring at the soft tube of flesh. Unsure of how exactly to respond in this type of situation, all Naruto could manage was to stay silent as his bare ass pressed against cold exterior of his friend's house.

As embarrassed as Naruto was by this situation, he couldn't stop his body from responding to the presence of a pretty girl so close to his pubescent prick. And to his increasing disbelief, the familiar tingling sensation began to spread through his loins, signaling the quick and steady hardening of his no longer soft penis. A groan fell from his lips.

The space of the ally was surprisingly small. So small in fact there was barely enough room for two people to stand next to each other between them. Because of this, with her back already against a wall Sakura had nowhere to go as she noticed Naruto's dick beginning to throb and grow. Helpless, it was all the young girl could do as she turned her head, feeling its tip press against the soft skin of her cheek.

Lifting her gaze, the pink haired girl's emerald green eyes shone with displeasure as she stared up at the panting blond. In return he stared back at her, confusion still etched in his features, though now polluted with semblances of pleasure. It only made the girls stomach churn that much more.

"Um, ah…" Naruto fought to find a word to say. But his dick pressing against Sakura's cheek had robbed him of any hope.

Her skin felt soft, impossibly so. And against the head of his cock that sensation multiplied a thousand times. Flexing the aching muscle, a drop of clear liquid slipped from the tip smearing against the girls pale skin. Without meaning to, Naruto found himself pushing forward, rubbing it against his teammate and crush's face.

"S-Sorry!" he exclaimed, realizing what he was doing. In their position the apology sounded humorous at best. Sakura responded by wrapping her hand around the firm length of flesh, her eyes still gleaming like a knife's edge.

A shiver ran up the blond's spine as he felt Sakura's hand around his sensitive member. She was still angry, which only made the image of her on her knees, his dick in hand, that much more odd. Lips pressed in a thin line, Sakura looked like a child about to be fed broccoli.

Her eyes stared down at Naruto's penis like an animal about to attack. Behind the fear, behind the anger laid the unmistakable glimpse of acceptance. "Naruto," she gritted out between clenched teeth, "you are the biggest pain in the ass I have ever met. Let's just get this over with." Stunning the blond even further, Sakura maneuvered the tip of Naruto's heated shaft against her lips, slipping it between the pink flesh in a single slow motion.

Fingers dug into the hard cement. A slow hiss fell from Naruto's lips as he turned his face towards the sky. It was more than he could handle, more than he ever expected to feel. For him, an orphan who rarely was permitted even the affection of a hug, this kind of contact threatened to overload his young brain. Still, the wet suction of his crush on his penis was all too real.

He could feel her lips wrapped around his head, nervously drawing him deeper into the wet warmth of her mouth. He could feel her breath on his shaft as it puffed from her nose in quick, panicked gasps. Slowly, she managed to push the last of his length past her lips, burying her nose in the sparse collection of blond pubs that had begun to accumulate at the base of his cock.

Naruto was still a young man, all his growth still in the future. That being said his manly equipment seemed to have gotten a head start of the rest of him, standing a little over five inches erect. Not large by any means but still an impressive feat for an amateur like Sakura to conquer on her first try.

Her tongue was slow to join the party, tensely brushing along its head before retreating to the farthest corner of her mouth. The salty taste mingled with the sweaty musk of working in a field all day. It was more than a little sour. Thankfully, she quickly realized the more she licked, the less there was to taste, cleaning the young man's cock. Finally, whimpering pitifully, Sakura committed to the act, drawing her pink muscle along the length of the shaft even as drool began to drip down her chin.

Naruto nearly doubled over from the sensations coming from his prick. In front of him he braced against the wall, bending over Sakura's head as she attended to his pleasure. To compensate the young girl reached up to grab his hips, controlling them as best she could to keep her soft lips around the vein shaft of his slowly rocking length.

Despite how wonderful Naruto was feeling, Sakura was still an amateur in the art of oral pleasure. And it showed. Had it been anyone other than a virgin teenager, most would have laughed at her attempt.

More than once Naruto had to watch himself to keep from pressing forward. Overwhelmed by pleasure, his hips would press into his friend, choking the young girl. Only the gentle sounds of protest and the low bubbling of her breath trying to fit around his girth reminded him to let up, each time causing his swelling to increase.

Weakly bobbing her head, the girl only knew the barest basics of the act she was asked to perform. More than once Naruto was forced to wince at the sensation of her teeth catching the rim of his head. But then he would feel the smooth sensation of her lips slide along his shaft. And he would feel the cautious attention or her tongue lick against his swollen underside. And the same breathless pleasure would consume draw the dangling orbs of his ball against his warm body. Unfortunately for Sakura her position wasn't nearly as pleasant.

Her jaw hurt, more than she thought it would doing this type of act. Keeping her mouth open while her lips hugged the shaft was an actual challenge. And Naruto only seemed to be getting bigger which didn't help matters either. She had to cough against his head feeling him push too far again. He dislodged easily enough. But the constant motion of his twitching hips were impossible to control.

Silently, all that was running through her head was that she wished for the blond to hurry up and finish. How she got into this situation she would never know. As if listening to Naruto insult her in the middle of the street wasn't bad enough. Like it was her fault he was such a creep? Though, she couldn't really say the things he'd said were untrue either. Maybe… maybe she just felt guilty. It was as good an explanation as she could find. And the only one that made any sense as to how she was on her knees in the ally beside her home. All that was left was to finish him off quickly and walk away with a clear conscience. She drew her lips just a bit harder against his crotch, tightening her face from the effort.

Looking down, all Naruto could see was a head of pink hair moving back and forth against his pelvis. Her Konoha headband glimmered faintly in the darkness. Gasping, his hips began to meet her motions. Even with her hands on his hips neither of them were strong enough to stop his eager pleasure. And Sakura was forced to deal with the added difficulty.

When she had first pulled down his pants, he hadn't known what to think. But now, as he felt her lips run up and down his shaft, and that devilish pink tongue of hers lick along the sensitive spongy tip of his head, he found himself not caring. Only so long as she never stopped.

Quickly, more so than Naruto wanted, a tight sensation in the pit of his stomach signaled the end of his endurance. Forgetting courtesy, the only warning poor Sakura got was a long, gutted moan. By then a long line of Naruto's jizz had already shot onto the roof of her mouth, filling the small space entirely.

"!" Sakura shrieked. Trying to pull away, all she managed to do was to bang the back of her head against the house behind her. After another two mouthfuls of cum, she regained enough of her bearings to turn her head. Unfortunately, even that wasn't enough to keep the torrent of Uzumaki sperm from herself.

Down the side of her face she could feel each burst as it flew from his throbbing cock. Never having the time to relieve himself, the young man had built up quite a supply. Which, currently, was being sprayed all over the young woman no matter how much she tried to escape.

Trapped between the house and Naruto's firehose, every attempt to escape was met with another face full of jizz. She turned her head, pushing at Naruto's hips but there was nowhere to go. Lost in his own pleasure, he couldn't stop his hips as he thrust the head of his cock into the soft strands of hair she had always been so proud of.

Finally, after what seemed like ten full bursts of cum, Naruto finished, his gasping form still hunched over a cum drenched Sakura.

She looked to be on the verge of tears. Hands shaking, she held them in front of her seeing the white slime that literally covered them from their tips to her palms. Fearfully, she touched a finger to her hair only to come away with another thick glob dripping down her appendage.

The entire right side of her head was covered in the stuff. Even worse was the strings that had escaped, catching on her forehead and now dripped down her young face.

Opening her mouth she leaned towards the floor, spitting out the first wave of jizz Naruto had managed to surprise her with. She repeated this twice, each time finding the salted bleachy taste still sticking to her tongue. Finally, she gave up, attempting to wipe her mouth, but forgetting the cum that still covered her hands. A fresh smear covered her pink lips.

Without a word she stood up, legs shaking, and moved toward the opening of the alley. Pants now pooled around his thighs, Naruto was still too busy panting to stop her. "Sa-Sakura-chan?" he asked more than a little concerned.

"I'm going home now!" she bit out, her earlier anger returning in full force. Turning the side of her face that was cum free, her emerald eyes glared hatefully. "And you better not tell Sa-… you better not tell Sa-…, Sas-" she stopped mid word, stomping her foot in frustration. "just don't tell anyone about this, okay?!" Not bothering to wait for his reply she ran off, freezing at the opening to the street before turning the corner and hurrying away.

Naruto heard the sound of a door slamming shut as he fell on his ass. Finally having regained his breath, he stared at his shriveled member, marveling at the fact that it had just been in a girl's mouth, Sakura's mouth. For some reason he couldn't stop smiling.

After a few more moments, Naruto decided that the back of a cold ally wasn't the best place spend with his pants down. Still somewhat in a daze, he pulled his pants up around his waist, and, using the wall for support, he managed to stumble his way towards the road.

"!" Reaching the light of the street, Naruto looked up to hear the sound of a startled gasp. It was fairly late now, and most Konoha citizens had retired to their homes. All except one it seemed.

Ino Yamanaka stood on the other side of the street, mouth agape and staring right at him. Blushing, it didn't take much brain power to realize she had seen Sakura, and now him.

Swallowing, he started at the girl eyes wide. Again he was not sure what the correct thing to say in this kind of situation was. Finally, running a hand through his hair he simply pointed to Sakura's house and, with genuine confusion spoke,

"You… you saw that too, right?

* * *

 **A/N: okay, so that was the first chapter. A little slow to start but I need to set the story up sometime. Let me know what you guys thought with a nice, (or not nice) review. I accept either. Here is the list of girls I have under consideration. At the moment this list is kept pre-Shippuden. NO original characters. Everyone listed below has appeared in the anime or manga at least once.**

 **Girls:** Sakura, Ino, Tsunami, Hana, Temari, Shizune, (maybe) Anko, Karin. (Subjected to change)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: WOW! Guys, thank you so much for all of your support! I can't believe how quickly the first chapter blew up. Really impressive guys. I will talk some more at the bottom when you are finished but I just want to say how much I appreciate you all taking the time to enjoy my story. Be sure to check out my other submissions. I currently have one for Kim possible and another for Harry Potter.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Tag(s): Oral, Missionary, Virgin.**

 **Girl(s): Sakura**

 **Words: 23,083**

 **Beta: Lordsofembercelica**

Shuffling along the dirt road, Naruto's face could only be described as haggard. Wearing a drawn frown, dark heavy bags under each eye did nothing to compliment his rough unkempt hair and disheveled clothes. He'd dreamed of her, of Sakura, for the entire night, at least what little he _had_ managed to sleep. The image of her green eyes sparkling in the pitch black darkness of the alley was forever burned into his young mind. Even now, having woken hours earlier to 'attend' to himself, the front of his pants was stretched taught under the strain of his throbbing erection.

He was confused; the entire day had been one weird incident after another to say the least. Part of him thought that maybe the genjutsu had scrambled his brains and everything that had happened was all part of some coma fantasy. That would be his luck after all.

Sooner or later he would get his answer though. Sakura would _never_ risk not showing up for training, no matter what her excuse was, and Naruto planned to use that opportunity to get the answers he needed. If only so he could move on with his life.

Blushing, Naruto flexed his aching erection and let a sigh fall from his lips. "I… kinda want to try that again," he admitted to no one in particular. Even still, he couldn't ignore the layer of excitement tingling underneath his confusion. And the hope that, maybe, whatever had happened the other day wasn't over just yet…

He was early, at least early for him, and Sakura had yet to show up. Only the lone figure of the Uchiha was there to greet him. Yet another peg in his stressed mind.

Walking up to the prodigy, Naruto said nothing. Sasuke raised an eye at his teammate's behavior but remained silent rather than risk getting him started. Truth be told he had rather enjoyed how quite the previous day had been, and God knows once Naruto started he would never stop. But leave it to the blond to somehow manage and find a way to be just as annoying even in utter silence.

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke forced out, seeming more pissed off than concerned. For the past five minutes the other boy had done nothing but sigh and fidget as loudly as possible. Naruto squinted up at him, his expression showing just how little he cared.

About to respond with an equally irritate retort, the blond genin stopped, seeming to think for a second. Who's to say Sakura was the only one affected by whatever the hell had happened? Sasuke could be in on it too. Everyone could. And suddenly Naruto looked up at his teammate, studying him intently for anything out of the ordinary.

All over again Sasuke found himself staring in surprise at his teammate's demeanor.

Naruto looked up at him, eyeing him over before speaking. "Hey…" he hesitated, not used to showing anything but distain for the stuck up prick. "How… I mean, is everything okay?" his teammate went on to ask. "Are you… feeling any different?" Sasuke took a moment to stare at the boy. Blinking twice, he said nothing before turning his attention back to the sky, fully intending on ignoring his rival for the rest of the day.

' _Nope, still a prick_ ', Naruto decided. But it was worth a shot. Yesterday he had been too out of it to remember much about anyone's behavior. He couldn't say anything for sure until Kakashi (eventually) arrived but as far as he could tell Sasuke was still the uptight prick he'd always been, something he made sure to point out.

After enjoying Sasuke's heated glare he went back to thinking. Was it just Sakura then? Was there even an 'it' to speak of? And, if so, what was 'it'? Thankfully, before Naruto could hurt his brain following that line of thought any longer, the sight of his crush climbing the hill stole his attention.

She looked the same as ever, in Naruto's mind he knew this was true. But what he was seeing seemed far more exaggerated. The girl walking up the path wasn't the same one he had seen just the day before. Her hair was brighter, her skin softer, even the way she walked was more… majestic? Hell if he knew, but he liked it. And as she approached the male duo of her team he couldn't help but smile in anticipation.

"Hey! Sakura-chan, good morn-," she walked by him without as much as a glance in his direction. His greeting died on his lips.

"Sasuke-kun!" she squealed. "Did you sleep well last night?" Shrinking away from her high pitched voice, Sasuke spared the girl one look as he took a step back. Setting his arms across his chest he glowered even harder into nothing.

From his spot Naruto watched their interaction and felt his excitement slowly drain away into nothing. It was a familiar picture. Too familiar.

Despite the outright rejection, Sakura continued to hover around the brooding boy like a bee would a flower. Her eyelashes batting and her smile bright as could be. All of it wasted on an asshole who was too obsessed with himself to see a pretty girl practically throwing herself at him.

Normally Naruto was smart enough to ignore Sakura's bad taste and would reassure himself that one day she would see Sasuke for the ungrateful bastard he truly was. Today, he felt different however. Not stronger, not even that much bolder. If anything, he would probably have to credit the change to a night of sex filled dreams.

He wanted Sakura's attention. He wanted her to focus only on him. It was a primal instinct, but being a young teen the boy was used to following his hormonal drives. So, stepping forward, he stole a moment to breath before interrupting the pinkette.

"Hey," he tried. Sakura ignored him completely. Instead of responding to her teammate's presence, she decided she needed to know about her beloved's choice of breakfast for that morning. To his credit, Sasuke remained silent. Naruto tried again.

"Hey, Sakura-chan?" but again she didn't turn or so much as acknowledge his presence. Her eyes were trained on the brooding boy, wide with excitement and hope. Naruto could see her smile, her flirting demeanor and bashful blush focused on the Uchiha. His brow curled as he forced his hand to reach out, irritation lacing his tone as he spoke up, "Saku-!"

"What!" in a complete one eighty in terms of personality, the pleasant and feminine expression on her face shifted into one of utter rage.

Sakura hated Naruto on any given day to begin with. But having no choice but to be near him after what she had been forced to go through the other day left her down right murderous. And now the blond idiot wanted to interrupt the only quality time she had with her prince?

Exasperated by the interruptions, the pink haired girl finally turned around, glaring at her fellow teen.

Naruto could see that what little patience she had for the day had already been spent. Even the violent aura that usually foretold of his beatings was especially heavy. Still, if he let every little dose of killing intent he felt stop him from doing what he wanted, he'd never do anything! Besides, he had something he wanted to test.

"I… I was just wondering if you wanted to go out again? Maybe after our mission?" Putting on a hopeful smile, the boy tried to measure the girl's reaction. Yesterday had been… strange to say the least. He wanted to see if what had happened might have carried over to today. A sensation similar to a boulder crashing into his skull was his answer.

Sakura held up her fist, a vein on her brow throbbing as she tried to keep from actually killing the annoying blond.

"Idiot! Can't you see I'm talking to Sasuke-kun?" Releasing a dignified huff, her bright smile returned as she turned back to her crush, a giggling apology falling from her lips for Naruto's interruption.

Said blond was staggered back to his spot, vision actually blurry from the strength of the blow. It was amazing how strong the girl could be when she put her mind to it. Too bad that only seemed to happen when she felt the need to carry out the blond boy's punishment.

Disappointment soured his expression as he rubbed the lump forming on his head. Without thinking he felt his expression darken.

Of course she said no. What did he think would happen? That she would say yes? That she was actually in love with him? The world didn't work that way. And after being kicked by it so many times, he really should have learned that lesson by now.

There was no magic. No miracle. Sakura felt sorry for him and forced herself to go on that date. And if he thought anything else, he really was a fool. Unfortunately, trying to drown out the sound of his love gushing over another man, Naruto felt his grip tighten.

"Sasuke-kun, and then…!"

He should just forget about yesterday.

"Sasuke-kun, you look so cool…!"

Thinking about it only made his already wounded head hurt.

"Sasuke-kun, how much did you train yesterday?!"

And now, for some reason it was getting worse.

"Hey Sasuke-kun!"

And worse.

"Sasuke-kun!

And wor-.

"Sasuk-!"

"God Sakura, just stop talking for a few seconds!" Letting out a seething groan, Naruto felt his irritation reach its peak. How many days had he been forced to listen to her go on and on about the Uchiha? Sure, it sucked before; but now, after he finally had a taste of what having Sakura was like, it was more than his nerves could take.

Following his outburst the dirt road elapsed into a sudden silence.

Too relived to take notice, Naruto allowed himself to breathe and feel the pounding ach in his brain slowly dissolve into nothing.

As soon as the pounding in his head disappeared, Naruto felt himself flinch in regret. How could he be mad at Sakura? He couldn't, not if he ever wanted to show her how great he was. He reminded himself that he _never_ gave up, and that wasn't about to change any time soon, if ever.

Opening his eyes, he was prepared to apologize for his outburst

"H-Hey, Sakura-chan? Look, I'm sorry, that I yelled at you and... I didn't mean to… to, um. Sakura-chan?" Turning to look at the pink haired girl, Naruto's words died on his lips.

Rather than the pissed and belligerent girl he'd expected to see, Sakura was standing as calm as ever, hands folded politely in her lap.

Eyes straight, her expression looked bored but calm. After a few seconds a tired sigh feel from her lips.

Jaw open, Naruto turned his attention to his rival who was staring at the girl with one eyebrow cocked. Noticing the blond's gaze his attention shifted to him, curiosity clear in his charcoal black gaze. Fortunately, the Uchiha's pride was far too great to give in to the urge of asking how he did it. No matter how tempting the situation may have been.

Forgetting Sasuke, his mind began to race. It was just like yesterday all over again!

He looked at Sakura in awe trying to remember what had caused the change. But nothing was adding up and he couldn't understand what he was seeing. When he'd asked her out on a date she'd done nothing but give him brain damage. So what had he done that made this time different?

There had been no sudden surge of power, any tingle or draining sensation to mark any kind of accidental use of chakra or unknown technique. Honestly, it just seemed like she was doing what he told her to. But that was impossible, right? Why would she do _anything_ **he** said?

After a moment of hesitation, he decided to ask.

"Hey… Sakura?" he asked timidly. He tried not to flinch back as her ice cold green eyes centered on him, narrowed with irritation. Thankfully she refrained from raising her fist in response.

"What?" she bit out, freed from her forced silence.

Naruto continued to smile, hoping that this endeavor wasn't for nothing. "I just… ah, I'm wondering if you still want to try and get Sasuke's attention?" At the sound of his name, said dark haired young man turned to glare at the blond, the obvious question of, _'why the hell was he trying to get her to talk again after finally shutting her up'_ , burning in his eyes. The jinchuuriki ignored this, and kept his eyes focused on the pinkette. She grimaced in response.

"Ah, duh," she smirked. "Sasuke-kun the greatest! Any girl would lucky to spend as much time with him as I do." Sounding proud at first, as her explanation continued her tone drifted to a sappy sugary mess that only teenage girls could ever manage. Naruto had to stop from rolling his eyes out of their sockets.

"Yea, he's great. Whatever," Naruto replied in a bored tone. "But ah, I just wanted to ask why you suddenly… stopped?" Shrugging his shoulders, he tried to make sense of what he was trying to say. Thankfully, seeing Sakura scrunch up her face it looked she got the gist of it.

"Because…" she paused, trying to understand for herself what had just happened. "Because you said to? Or something? I don't know. Why do you care?" Becoming hostile, the teenage girl gave a small huff before petulantly crossing her arms. Despite her attempt at hiding her confusion, beneath her pinched features Naruto could see his question had caused the girl some distress.

Feeling his heart pick up, Sakura's words echoed far too closely to his own earlier musings, that it was because he told her to that she had stopped. His mouth felt dry, yet he continued. "Ah, really? Because I said so?" but she didn't answer, simply glaring that much harder as her brow furrowed. "Is that… the same reason _that_ happened last night?"

If Naruto though Sakura was hostile before, the way her eyes erupted at the mention of their previous affair, he was amazed he hadn't burst into flames and a pile of ash.

"You! You-!" As her face turned a shade of red that would make even the ripest tomato jealous, she struggled to find the right words to explain just how low she thought of him. Thankfully, after a quick glance in her crushes direction she remembered the need to retain her ladylike appearance in the presence of her crush. A smile so terrifying even the Kyuubi would have flinched graced her face instead. Naruto tried not to flee.

"Naruto you dummy," she laughed, the resulting sound dark and completely unnatural. "I thought I told you what would happen if you ever, _ever_ brought that up again. Do I need to remind you, maybe?" Hidden from Sasuke's eyes by her body, the pinkette cracked her knuckles in clear warning. In a rush to avoid his beating, Naruto hurried to explain.

"Wait! Wait! I just, I wanted to ask if there was any particular reason you decided to do… that, or um. You know?" But she didn't. And crossing her arms she got close to his quivering form and poked her finger harshly into his chest.

"Listen here, Naruto," she spat his name as though it were a worm. "I don't know how the hell you managed to talk me into doing-," she paused, glancing over her shoulder only to continue in a hushed voice. " _Tha_ t, but you can bet all the disgusting ramen in the world that I will die before it ever happens again. Do make myself clear? And if Sasuke-kun _ever_ catches wind of what you tricked me into doing, your corpse will be found in the Hokage's office long before you ever get the chance to run from me."

While her threat was both unsettling and hurtful, Naruto's ears perked at one particular bit of information and focused on that. Stepping forward, his eyes were wide. "Talked you into it? Is that what happened?" This turned out to be the wrong thing to say.

 **'Smack'**

Falling flat on his ass, Naruto was helpless but to stare up at the pinkette, fist still raised in righteous anger. All memories of Sasuke being so close flew out of her mind as she moved for another strike.

"Wait!" Naruto backed up, waving his hands in a wild attempt to ward her off, or at least stall her for time. "I didn't mean- Stop!" But she didn't, and Naruto could feel his head about to be caved in. "I just mean that I wanted to know if that really happened, that I… talked you into it? I mean… how?" this time she did stop.

"If it will make you stop talking about it already," she hissed, finally, throwing a glance over her shoulder she looked to see Sasuke completely ignoring them. He was far too use to the sight of Naruto getting beaten by their female teammate to pay them any mind.

"Yes, you talked me into it. Don't ask me how because for the life of me I can't remember. You told me to and it just felt… I don't know, right? Persuasive. Like it made sense at the time. Now can we please stop talking about this already? If you think I'm going to fall for it a second time you can kiss your balls goodbye." Not waiting for the blond to respond, Sakura wasted no time returning to her place by the fence, arms crossed in stoic silence. Thankfully, Naruto was too busy digesting what she had just told him to stop her.

Persuasive. That was the word she had used. Even Naruto wasn't dumb enough to already forget the name of the genjutsu he'd spent an entire day trying to get working. Or did get working, if what Sakura said was true. But that left the question of why he couldn't remember ever doing it?

Still sitting on the ground, he set his mind to remembering the night before last. Unfortunately, past his one hundredth failure the chakra exhaustion had taken its toll, leaving the rest of the night in a hazy fog at best. Could he have gotten it to work somehow after all? Maybe he activated it before passing out? What if it had been working this whole time? Was it still active? Was that even how the jutsu worked?

Naruto could feel his head start to pound with all the questions building. There were so many, and Kurenai had explained so little before she'd run off. Maybe she would be able to tell him? There was only one way to find out.

Unfortunately, Naruto realized that it would be hours before he was free to roam around the village looking for the red eyed jonin. And even then he had no idea where to start looking for her. The first time had been a stroke of luck, pure chance and nothing more. And for some reason, part of him felt it would not so easily happen again. He wasn't stupid, he knew that he tended to get on peoples nerves, and once someone had gotten enough of him they would go out of their way to avoid him. That meant if he wanted to confirm his suspicions, he would need to test them out himself.

Feeling his eyes growing wide, Naruto knew he needed to try it out. So with that in mind, he returned his attention to the pink haired genin.

There she was, standing there as beautiful as ever. The imagination of a young man is bountiful when centered around a pretty girl. And understanding the possibilities his powers might now grant him, he couldn't help but shiver at the implication.

If he was wrong, then he was about to get the shit kicked out of him. But if he was right… the opportunity was too much to pass up. Nervously he stepped forward.

Pausing from her silent bout, Sakura noticed Naruto's approach and grimaced in response. "Hey… Sakura-chan?" he asked. Rather than answer, Sakura's emerald eyes turned skywards as though to ask who she had angered in a past life to have been stuck on a team with the blond. Naruto ignored the treatment, far too absorbed in his own thoughts.

"What do you want Naruto?" she droned, eager to be rid of the pest. He was being even twitchier than usual. Honestly, he was freaking her out.

Naruto's mind raced. It needed to be something she would _never_ do on her own. He needed to be absolutely sure beyond any doubt that she would in fact do whatever he told her to. It took him a moment to come up with something, but then, he knew exactly what to do.

"I want… you to flash me!"

In hindsight, he should have picked something a tad bit less drastic. But at his core, when had Naruto Uzumaki done anything less than one hundred percent? Besides, he was still just a young boy, and while in his heart he understood that he was being ridiculous, that didn't change his curiosity concerning his young _female_ friend's body.

Jumping back, Naruto shielded all of his most vital areas for the oncoming beating and likely dismemberment. Eyes clenched, he waited for the impact of his crushes fist. Yet, just as had been the case last night, the hit never came. And feeling his heart began to pound within his chest at the possibility, the hope, he lowered his arms and looked to see Sakura's reaction. What he found shocked him to his core.

Eyes wide, a bright dusting of red swirled bellow the young girl's cheeks. She stared at him, seemingly in disbelief. Just as before, given the time to digest his words, the familiar tick appeared on her forehead signaling the rage building from within. Yet he remained unharmed. And before Naruto's eyes, he watched as her hands moved to the front of her dress.

"Naruto!" she glared. "You are the worst pervert I have ever met!" Despite her protest the zipper holding the front of her qipao closed began to descend, inch by inch.

"I can't believe you would even _think_ of asking me to do that!" Reaching her navel, her finger's let go only to part the red fabric and reveal a small pink bra. "The only reason I'm doing this is so you'll finally leave me alone!"

Reaching into her dress her fingers pinched the white lace decorating the top of both cups. "So don't even try and think this means anything!" But as she pulled the cups of her bra up, any attention Naruto had been giving her words vanished, instead completely focused on her now bared chest.

There were no massive mounds or jutting curves to be seen, just the beginning of what would one day be called breasts. And yet, it was the most beautiful sight the young boy had witnessed in his entire life. Sakura's nipples stood erect at the peaks of two small mounds of soft flesh, seeming more pointed than rounded. The areola themselves were a pale pink, the same color as her lips, while at their center stood slightly darker twin nubs, puckered by the cool morning air.

Lips pinched tight, it took every ounce of willpower Sakura had to keep the flaps of her dress open. Closing her eyes, she couldn't take the sight of Naruto leering at her exposed chest anymore.

The open stare, the glossy eyed expression, the… arousal. In some ways it was even more horrible than the night before. Taking a deep breath, the petite curves of her chest rose, setting out even further from her body.

Despite their small size, for a boy of only fifteen they were more than big enough to fill his mind and imagination. The front of Naruto's pants had once again returned to their earlier state of tension, he just couldn't stop staring at them. Just as pale as the rest of her, Sakura's blush bled down from her face past her collarbone turning the very top of her mounds a rosy hue.

In her outrage, Sakura had forgotten the _other_ boy in her presence. Remembering her long time crush, she opened her eyes just enough to turn her head and see him staring at her back with wide, disbelieving eyes.

It was the _only_ way this horrible moment could have gotten any worse. What Sasuke must think of her? But compelled to answer Naruto's request, her dress remained open even as she watched the boy of her dreams turn his head away in embarrassment.

Just as quickly as it opened, Sakura's qipao snapped close. Displaying dexterity she wasn't aware she possessed, Sakura's finger's pulled the small metal tooth back to her neck in a blink. "There!" she barked, the tips of her ears still burning a bright red. "I hope you burn in hell, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Standing with an expression of loss, Naruto cursed his wording and knew he should have demanded a longer show. Still, feeling a pervert's blush warm his cheeks, he'd gotten Sakura to show her boobs. And even more importantly, had proven what he'd been suspecting since Sakura had given him that all important clue. That he could tell the young woman, and by extension anyone, to do anything he wanted.

For a moment he stood in awe of the power now at his fingertips, not sure what or how he had gotten such a gift. But watching Sakura try and rearrange her bra from outside her dress, he found himself not caring in the slightest and decided to simply thank whatever great and noble deity that had smiled upon him.

Unfortunately, before he had the chance cheer, Kakashi Hatake appeared in a swirl of leaves, his happy go lucky expression as plain ever "Yo," he greeted with a small wave of his hand.

By then, all three genin had long since gotten used to his tardy tendencies. Rather than shout out in outrage, they settled for a knowing and heated glare. One the one eyed scarecrow received with smile.

If the experienced jounin took the time to notice the atmosphere surrounding his students, it didn't show. "I don't want to give away the surprise but little bird told me the Hokage has a certain landfill that needs cleaning with team seven's name on it. But try not to get too excited, we still have practice to get through first." His eye turned up to give its usual smile.

Naruto stared at his teacher very much like a child who had just has his favorite toy taken away. He didn't have time for training, not now! And he sure as hell didn't have time to waste picking up trash! Unfortunately, ninja didn't have the courtesy of sick days. Floundering, he looked from his crush to his teacher in desperation.

Ignoring the strangest of his student's behavior, Kakashi's motioned for the rest to begin walking towards their usual training ground. Hand dipping into his pocket, a familiar orange book soon appeared in open view.

Nearly left behind, Naruto stared as his team walked away with tears in his eyes. God damn it! If only to he could control Kakashi like he had Sakura! But hurrying after his team, an idea struck. Who said he couldn't?

Glancing at Sasuke, Naruto remembered that he had been there for all of Sakura's 'show'. And, while clearly uncomfortable, he didn't seem all that confused or suspicious. Almost as though he found Sakura following the blond's instructions as natural. A given. And if that were true, who was to say this little miracle was isolated to just one person?

Once again Naruto could feel his heart begin to pound.

Naruto's feet stopped in the middle of the road. Sudden enough for his team to turn their heads, Kakashi's lone eye settled on the blond, no doubt expecting some kind of outburst. Something along the lines of, _'There's no way I'm wasting my time picking up garbage!_ ' or ' _Future Hokege's can't be seen picking up trash!_ ' Sighing, the teacher could already feel himself tire as he slipped his book back into its pouch. "Yes, Naruto? Is something wrong?"

Licking his lips in anticipation, Naruto found himself stuck between overwhelming confidence and complete and utter terror. On one hand he may have gained the ability to get people to do whatever he wanted, the key word being _may_. Yet, there was still the chance he was wrong and he didn't want to be the one to find out what happened to genin who thought they could order around a jounin. So, swallowing, he found himself trying to find somewhere in the middle.

"Y-You should give us the day off," the boy claimed boldly. Responding to his student's words, Kakashi's brow visibly raised.

"Oh really?" he answered noncommittally. He seemed to mull this over in his head before finally answering, "Hmmm, interesting."

A flash of panic overtook Uzumaki's features. "I-I mean, that is, I'm telling you to give us the day off!" he tried, wondering if he needed to be more direct with his choice of words. And once again, Kakashi just stared at him, curiosity playing in his eye.

"I mean-!" the boy scrambled to figure out what to say. "We've been working really hard the last few weeks. It-it would be really nice if you did?" swallowing against his dry throat, he tried for a smile. "Please?"

Not moving, the jounin seemed to role his eye at the display. Finally, pulling out his book once more, he turned back to the road though no longer facing the training grounds. "Sure, I don't mind," he waved his hand.

Naruto visibly deflated with relief. This was something to remember. Just because people did what he told them, didn't mean they were different people. Kakashi still being a cryptic asshole being the best example he could have hoped for.

Taking a few seconds to recognize what had happed, a small gasp filled Naruto's chest before he jumped in the air with a cheer. It worked, it actually worked!

For a second all the possibilities filled his young mind. Who knew how this started, or how long it was going to last but at the moment he only had one goal in mind.

Feeling a shiver go up her spine, Sakura's cheer for a day off was interrupted by the sensation of eyes leering at her from behind. Quickly turning her head, she found herself flinching back at the sight of Naruto's blue eyes running up and down her body, a pink tinge dusting his cheeks. Every one of her feminine instincts were demanding her to slap the shit out of him, but she never got the chance.

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan!" the blond approached her with the biggest smile she had ever seen plastered on his face, "tell me what you have planned for the day?"

Taken aback by the excitement in his tone, Sakura felt compelled to answer. "Well," she hesitated, "not that it's any of your business but I guess I'll just go home. Probably take a bath and relax." If anything, her answer only seemed to increase whatever creepy thrill the idiot was getting from talking to her.

"Can I-, I mean, you should invite me over to your house. That's what teammates do after all," he smiled. And while his reasoning made sense, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Fine," she sighed, her day of relaxation officially ruined. "Naruto, would you like to come ov-

"I'd love to!" he nearly shouted, too excited to wait for her to finish. Naturally the pink haired girl flinched back, all too eager to put some space between herself and the blond. Unfortunately for her, the Uzumaki followed after her, actually wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her against his side. Her nostrils flared with righteous anger. "Hey now, let's walk like this. It's not that big of a deal, right?"

Pinching her lips, her skin crawled at the sensation of his fingers not so subtly groping the curve of her hip. Still, she decided that it wasn't worth the fight and finally just nodded her head letting him pull her with him towards her home.

For the blond, it was better than being made Hokage. The girl of his dreams was finally his. She felt so good at his side. Drawing in the scent of her rose petal shampoo he sighed, his happiness finally reaching its peak. Then, turning his head, he proved himself wrong. "Later bastard!" he called out, a smirk on his face so big it threatened to split the young man's face. There, **now** he couldn't be happier.

In response, the Uchiha watched him go with an uncaring expression on his face. He seeming more annoyed by his volume than jealous. Naruto didn't care in the least however, and, feeling that he had well and truly finally gotten one over the prodigy, laughed haughtily.

* **Haruno Residence** *

Closing the door behind her, Sakura sighed tiredly. The source of her exhaustion, nay, seemingly her every problem, was at her side still sticking obnoxiously close. "W-wow, so this is Sakura-chan's room, huh?" he laughed. Nervous, his chuckling boomed louder than intended causing the pinkette to flinch.

"Geez, do you have to be so freaking loud all the time?" she glared. Shrinking back, the blond still tried to smile.

"Heh-he, you got it!" Naruto loudly proclaimed, breaking the vow he'd just made. Not expecting anything less from the blond, Sakura simply rolled her eyes before walking over to her bed, dropping down on her butt. She eyed her teammate with wary caution.

Never in a million years did she think Naruto Uzumaki would be able to talk his way into her home, much less her room. And by the dumbfounded expression his face, he felt the same. Now the young teen found herself in the awkward position of getting him out as fast as possible.

"Hey, Naru-

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto suddenly blurted cutting her off.

"Y-Yea?" she found herself suddenly nervous. Then again, who wouldn't be when their friend suddenly started acting like he had a bad rash?

Shifting from foot to foot, the young man was looking in every direction but hers. Even stranger was the bright red color blooming beneath his cheeks. He was still smiling, but it was small, reserved. For the first time, the girl found herself concerned for the obnoxious boy.

"Naruto?" she tried.

"I was just, I mean, I wanted to know how…" pinching his features, the boy became frustrated with himself. Scratching his head furiously he turned away trying to psych himself up. All the while all Sakura could do was watch him, wondering if what few brain cells he had left finally wasted away.

"Okay!" he shouted, turning to stand in front of his crush his eyes bored into hers. "T-Tell me what you really think about me," he pushed. "H-How you feel, I mean."

Feeling the heat under his cheeks, Naruto tried to hide his embarrassment at having to ask his crush such a question. But this was his best chance of finding out what Sakura really felt about him without the bastard confusing her. He was sure she had to feel something for him. She had to feel the same way he did for her. They were connected after all, he just had to get her to see it.

"Well…" the girl paused, an irritated expression on her face. She looked at the young man remembering all the times she had spent with him. Her features soured. "You're annoying," she started. Her tone sounded dead and without mercy. "You're always getting in my way and never leave me alone no matter how much I tell you too. And," she stopped, her face turning from irritated to angry. "And I think you're the reason Sasuke-kun won't spend any time with me. Just because no one likes you, doesn't mean you have to take me down with you." Seemingly finished, Sakura's eyes dropped to a bored expression. "Anyway, I know I invited you over but if you don't mind could you leave?"

Listening to Sakura speak, Naruto found his hopeful expression dropping with each word from her lips. _'Annoying, in the way, no one likes you,_ ' it was even worse than last time. And now, he couldn't even blame it on Sasuke. This… was really how she felt. And Naruto wasn't sure how he could handle that.

"B-But, hey, I mean, you have to like me at least a little, r-right?" he tried, the pain in his features disguised by a smile. But the hurt in his eyes was clear.

"I guess," Sakura answered, though not very genuinely. "I mean, I like how much you seem to love me. It makes me feel good seeing you want me so badly. Not that I'd ever actually go out with you… again I mean" Still under the compulsion of honesty, the girl was almost painfully so. And by Naruto's disbelieving gaze, he seemed to think so as well.

"But…" the blond tried. Failing to find the words, he realized that everything that could have been said, had. And all of sudden he found his heart aching with the loss of his precious person.

"Seriously though," Sakura continued, "I don't know when my parents are getting home and I don't want you here when they do. I don't think they like you very much." Unfortunately for her, the boy standing in the middle of her room could only stare at her, lost and confused.

"Naruto?" she tried after noticing how perfectly still, and unnerving quiet he was.

"H-Hey, I get it!" he smiled, looking forced and unsure. "You love me! Of course you do. You just… need help seeing it!" The pink haired girl stared at the boy as though he were insane. And from the crooked gleam glinting in his blue orbs, she had good reason. "Don't worry! I'll help you out!"

Grinning like an idiot, Naruto stood before the pinkette who could only stare in return. "Sakura-chan," he smiled. "Love me. Love Naruto!" Yet, waiting for his teammate to respond to his order, she simply sat where she was, staring at him as though he had grown a second head.

"Are you feeling okay?" she had to ask. But the blond only went on to stare, waiting for what would never come. And soon his hopeful expression began to drop.

He wanted to swear, he wanted to get angry and hit something and somehow prove to Sakura that he was better than the bastard would ever be. But how? Then, an idea appeared.

"Fine," he said, the pain and emotions seeping from his heart. "I guess that won't work. I guess I can't tell you how to feel. It makes sense, kinda. But I don't need to tell you love me, because all I really need is to get you to give me a chance."

Sakura listened to all of this nodding her head as though she were in a mental ward listening to a patient. She didn't understand a word of what he was talking about, he just kept mumbling and pacing across the floor of her room. When he suddenly turned to face her, she couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Naru-"

"Go out with me." He smiled, excitement flaring back to life as he stared at his crush. "Be my girlfriend." And this time he watched with satisfaction as the familiar begrudged expression sprang to life on Sakura's face, one that looked as though she had just been sprayed by a skunk. Thankfully, no matter how she felt, it didn't matter. All Naruto cared about was the next word to fall from her lips.

"Geez, fine. Whatever."

Okay, three words. But who cares. He had a girlfriend! Sure, she was still hung up on Sasuke for now, but give her a few weeks of having him as a boyfriend and she'd forget about the bastard.

Jumping up with a cheer, Naruto didn't even notice the dread on his new girlfriend's face as she realized what she had just agreed to. He was too busy imagining how wonderful their life together was going to be. He saw dates, he saw long lingering glances, he saw her reaching for him, telling him how great he was. And, given time, maybe she would even k-kiss him. He found his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

His eyes peeked at his crush, seeing her slumped form from the corner of his eye. ' _That's right_ ,' he remembered. ' _Sakura-chan's my girlfriend now. And boyfriends and girlfriends get to… to, do that kind of stuff._ ' Unbidden, Naruto felt his heartbeat speeding up in his chest.

At first, Naruto tried to shake those thoughts from his head, reminding himself that they were barely ten seconds into their relationship. He tried to tell himself to be patient, to not rush things, and eventually she would come to him. But the memory of last night ruined _any_ attempt of purity the teenage boy might have had.

Her lips, feeling them on his dick, the feeling of his balls emptying into her mouth, he could feel his pants tightening at the thought. It had felt so good.

Again, the boy found himself staring at his new girlfriend, his thoughts running wild at the possibilities. " _Maybe… maybe just a kiss?_ ' he tried to justify himself. ' _We're dating after all. A kiss can't hurt anything that much._ ' But walking towards the bed, he felt his stomach churn with the implications of what he was about to do. Without warning he sat next to the pinkette cautiously.

Opening her eyes, Sakura pulled herself out of her own self deprivation long enough to send a queer glance at her boyfriend. It didn't take long to remember that they were in her room, alone, and now sitting on her bed. Like any young woman she felt her defenses go up on full alert.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," the blond started, scooting close enough that she could smell the mold from his jacket, it, along with the rest of his clothes in need of a good wash.

 _"Or better yet, tossed out,"_ she thought dourly.

Subtly shifting away her eyebrow rose in suspicion. "Yeees?" she cautiously responded. Naruto only seemed to smile harder.

"We're dating now, right? And when people date they… t-they ah, do stuff like… kiss?" Sakura felt her eyes go wide at the boy's line of questioning.

Without meaning to, she felt her cheeks burn, a nervous flutter entering her chest. "I-I guess so… after enough time," she felt the need to add. Naruto only continued smiling, his face moving towards hers.

"Then, you think we should? Right? I mean, if we're really dating? Boyfriend's get to kiss their girlfriends." And again, Sakura felt a frown mar her features as she understood what he was asking for.

"Um!" looking away, Sakura's brow curled up with worry. No matter how she felt about the blond she couldn't help the nervousness shifting her stomach. Despite herself she couldn't find an argument to put the boy off or his request down.

Before she had the chance, Naruto forced his mouth to pucker, stretching the wrinkled ring as far from his face as possible, leaning towards Sakura. Turning to see this coming her way, the girls green orbs flickered about, looking for a way out. Unsuccessful, a resigned sigh fell from her lips before she finally gave in meeting the blond half way.

Being his first kiss, Naruto had no idea how utterly ridiculous he looked. He kissed like a child, or if anyone with experience were watching, a fish. But as the softness of Sakura's lips met his, the gentle warmth and sweat smell stole his breath away.

It wasn't passionate, some would call it innocent even. It was gentle, hardly a whisper of a kiss that only the young could enjoy. But for Naruto, it meant the world. And pulling back, Sakura could see it in his eyes.

The blue orbs glimmered as he stared at her face. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, unsure how to respond to such reverence. Wringing her hands in the material of her dress, she tried not to show her face.

"T-There," Sakura looked away, an expression of faux anger on her features. Licking her lips, she could still feel the rough, dry texture they had been pressed against.

Naruto wasn't fairing much better. Seemingly stuck in a daze, he stared at his female companion in awe. Swallowing, he stole a deep breath before carefully scooting closer to the pink haired girl. This time she dared to accept the action.

"One more time?" he asked. His tone bleeding with urgency and need. He sounded very much like addict begging for his next fix. And if he were to think on the matter, he would wholeheartedly agree. He was addicted, to Sakura, to her lips, to the power he was only beginning to understand. Sakura was forced to agree.

Without the comedic puckering, Naruto once again leaned in, turning his head as his lips touched hers. This time, rather than being satisfied with a chaste brush, he pressed his lips against hers enough to feel their supple consistency.

Releasing a squeaking sound of surprise from her nose, Sakura's eyes clenched even tighter. She wasn't quite sure how to respond to the strange new emotions Naruto was forcing her to feel. Nevertheless, feeling her heart flutter and her stomach flip she allowed the boy to do as he wished, even as she felt his lips starting to move.

Slowly at first, Naruto imitated what he'd seen so many other couples practice in the dark alleys around the village. Finally he could understand why so many people would risk doing something that made them look so silly. It had been something to laugh at as a child. The way their hands pawed at each other and the wet smacking sound of lips against lips. But hearing the distinctly sodden sounds of his own against Sakura's, the blond could only smile.

After half a minute Sakura had to pull away, her breath coming in deep rises. Licking her lips, she stared at the boy next to her in both fear and confusion. It didn't make sense to her. He wasn't Sasuke. Yet she couldn't deny the delightful tingle that had spread throughout her developing body. More specifically, centered in her breasts.

While she tried to deny it, she could feel the tightened skin of her stiff nipples scraping against the inside of her bra with even the smallest of movements. Unbidden, a sigh fell from her lips. The moment was interrupted as Uzumaki's lips descended on her once more. And closing her eyes, the girl was helpless but to accept them.

At his sides, Naruto's fingers tensed and relaxed eager for something to do. Without breaking the kiss, he swallowed the last few inches separating him from his new girlfriend. Wrapping a firm hand around her hips, his fingers pressed into the softness of her female body, testing its texture and feeling the strange and alluring warmth that was distinctly feminine.

Something about the girl's kisses filled him with a kind of nervous energy. The more he tasted the pink lips, the more he felt it building in the pit of his stomach. Sakura gave an indignant squeak at the unmitigated advance, but before she could collect enough of herself to get angry he drew her bottom lip into his mouth. And just like that, the girl felt her mind melt into a pile of goo.

Before she could think better of her actions, Sakura allowed herself to lean into the young man's solid figure, pressing the softness of her body against the firm mold of his developing muscles. A dizziness seeped into her brain forcing her into the boy even further. It took her a moment to realize she was swooning. For Naruto! If her mouth wasn't currently being devoured she might have even laughed at the thought!

More than once the young couple had to part, heavy breaths filling the absence of wet smacking lips. Always the boy was the first to recover, demanding Sakura as petulantly as any child. By this point she was hardly in any state to put up much resistance. A testament to just how powerful hormones could be. Which is why, even as the girl felt Naruto's mouth open and his tongue drive into her mouth, she could only offer a single tortured whimper in response.

Naruto breathed deep, drowning in the scent of a girl. Pressed so close to her, he was surrounded by the scent of flowers and shampoo. It was amazing, even better than ramen. And it only made him want to be even closer.

Pressing his tongue into Sakura's mouth the boy felt his crotch tighten, awoken by the feeling of her soft, wet muscle moving against his own. Pulling back he swallowed, her saliva mixing with his own. Savoring the minty flavor the blond smiled before deciding to go for another taste. The sound of Sakura's breathy whimper filled his mouth moments later.

All too easily the young man found himself consumed by the pleasure of a woman. The more he had the more he wanted. The incessant throbbing in his pants only worsened the condition, making him pull her that much closer, hold her that much tighter.

Taking another break to breathe the boy was panting. Half lidded eyes stared at the girl next to him with a hunger that burned. The flushed skin, the wide eyes, the swollen lips, they called to him as naturally as any boy his age. Fighting back a groan, he felt her shift, falling even more against him as all her strength was sapped away. As a result, her pink mop of hair fell onto his neck, permeating the air around them with her sickeningly sweet perfume.

Reaching for support, her hand fell against his chest, gripping the fabric as a hold. Looking down, Naruto couldn't help smiling, a smug and unearthly happy smile. He moved his hand to cover her own.

Still gasping into the blond's neck, the rising and falling motion of her chest rubbed against his arm. Naruto couldn't help but take notice of the contact. Turning his nose to the ceiling, he did everything in his power to avoid looking at the front of young girl's shirt.

Taking another deep breath, Sakura exhaled, blowing against the sensitive skin of her boyfriend's neck. This forced a sharp and hushed gasp to escape from him. Any resistance he still had crumbled with the wave of gooseflesh that consumed his skin. And while trying not to make his intentions too obvious, the boy peered over the girl's head, the metallic steal zipper starting at her collar attracting his twinkling gaze.

Poking out from the front of her qipao, Naruto could see the small bump standing apart from the rest of her breast. It was only then that he understood Sakura could be enjoying the moment as much as he was.

His chest swelled with pride. But even more, it emboldened him to push things that much further. He wanted to touch, to feel the proof with his own hands. He hadn't planned on things getting this far. But thankfully it seemed to be turning up for the both them. So long as this continued, who was he to ruin such a wonderful moment?

Oblivious to all these thoughts running through her boyfriend's head, Sakura continued to gather herself as best she could, a full minute passing before she was in a right enough mind to pull away and look at the blond.

"I-I feel weird," she admitted, her voice shaking. Her pale skin swirled with fresh and heated blood. The soft cotton of her bra continuing to torture the tight buds of her breasts, threatening to drive her mad. Even the simple act of breathing sent tingles rushing through the small, soft mounds. "Maybe we should stop?"

Despite her words, the girl didn't sound all that sure. She still hung off the boy, hip to hip and her hand was still glued to his chest. She looked away, confusion more than anything else motivating her. She wasn't used to not understanding what was going on. She was the smartest of their class, the top kunoichi of their generation. But this… they never taught this.

Responding to his girlfriend's words the blond smiled his usual bright and cheerful grin. This only lured the girl into a false sense of security before she found the hand on her hip shifting to scoop her up. And just like that she found her bottom falling into the lap of Naruto Uzumaki. Her mouth open in shocked protest.

"Hey, hey," he laughed, disregarding her expression. "Don't worry! We're just getting to know each other is all! Nothing wrong with that." Sakura took the words with a look of worry. Nervously she steadied herself on the blond's shoulders trying to ignore the hand now rubbing dangerously close to the side of her bottom. Rather, she found herself more concerned with the hungry glint in her boyfriend's eyes that were staring at her like a bowl of ramen.

"But," she stalled, her cheeks lighting up, "w-we just started d-dating. Isn't this a little fast?" Trying not to show how hard her heart was hammering, Sakura felt like the thumping muscle was vibrating her entire body. She could feel all of her pulse point's beating in rhythm. Even worse was the fine sheen of sweat she could feel accumulating on her skin. "I don't know if- that was my first kiss you know!"

"Hey!" the blond cheered. "Mine too!" Sakura could only groan at his lack of focus. Quickly, she knew she needed to move while she still had the mind to do so.

"I… I-I think I need a glass of water." Pushing off the boy's shoulders, her leg stretched to touch the floor. One quick motion of Naruto's hand captured her thigh, returning it to his lap. Blinking at his action, the girl tried once again to move only to find Naruto's grip unyielding. Her eyes dimmed with worry. "Naruto?" she hated how small her voice sounded.

"Come on Sakura-chan!" the blond loudly bemoaned. "You're having fun, aren't you? Be honest now." The girl felt her cheeks burn as bright at the sun.

For the first few moment's the girl's mouth simply opened and closed, unsure of what she was supposed to say. Was this fun? She wasn't sure. It was _something_ to be sure, but anything past that left the young thing dizzy and a bit out of breath. To say it was entirely undesirable however _would_ be false. So, as much as Sakura wanted to say otherwise, eventually she settled on a small but confident node. Naruto's hand squeezed her thigh approvingly.

"Well, see?" the blond asked, "me too! And I just want to have some more fun! And I want you to have more fun too. What's wrong with that?" This time, he turned his face into the girl's neck, teasing the tender skin with his lips in quick, inexperienced pecks. Nevertheless the poor girl felt her arousal jump at the sensations and it wasn't long before a low mewl squeaked from her lips.

"N-Nothing?" the girl tried, her breathing suddenly picking up. Oh how quickly he'd been able to pull her back into his web. Still, the blond continued to grin unapologetically as the girl gave way to his persuasion. Seeing her starting to crumble, he turned his attention to the white painted zipper dangling from her neck.

"Yep!" he exclaimed, laughing happily as his one hand groped the bottom most point of her hip. "Ain't nothing wrong with fun! Sooooo…" he paused, drawing out the word as he moved towards the top of her qipao, "why don't we just see what else we can have fun with." And before the girl could catch on to his intent, his finger's pinched the small piece of metal, pulling it down, drowning the room with the distinct sound of something being unzipped. He'd made it about halfway down before the girl pulled away.

Releasing a deep gasp, she looked down at the hand opening her dress before forcing her hand against his chest. Wide eyed she held a single arm over the opening while she stared at the smiling blond who simply went on grinning as idiotic as ever.

"!" no actual words came from her mouth but hopefully the message still got across. Unfortunately, as the blond started laughing, Sakura had her doubts.

"Aw," the blond complained, "come on Sakura, don't be like that!" If anything his attempts to calm her only made the situation that much more tense. Quickly Sakura could feel her temper rising. "It's not like I haven't seen them already," he reminded her. This only turned her already red face brighter.

"Idiot!" she screeched. "d-don't bring that up!" but the reminder washed the righteous anger right out from under her, knocking the wind out of her sails. She couldn't believe what she had done that morning, or how the idiot had talked her into doing it. The experience had been horrible, mortifying, and Sasuke had seen the whole thing! Then again, Naruto had been managing to talk her into a lot of things lately…

"Come on!" he continued. "I've already seen them once, who's it gonna hurt if I just touch them a bit?" the green eyed girl gawked at him, literally speechless at his crass declaration.

" _Touch?!_ " she managed to squeak. But the blond was totally unaffected by her scrutiny. Rather, it only seemed to make him even more amused.

"Naruto," Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I don't care if I'm your girlfriend, or your wife, there is no way in hell you are ever, _ever_ -!"

"Sakuraaa-chaaan,' the blond groaned, interrupting her tirade. She stared at him with fire in her eyes, but he just brushed it aside. "Come on, just relax and let me." Then, feeling his heart pick up he continued. "Just enjoy it. It's normal for boyfriends and girlfriends to do this kinda stuff." And crawling his hand along her stomach, his eyes twinkled as it rose to her chest.

"B-But," Sakura stammered, fire burning under her cheeks. For whatever reason she found herself unable to stop him. "I-I…"

"Don't worry so much," Naruto grinned, watching the girl's cheeks change colors. Finally, reaching the metal zipper, he continued from where he had been so rudely interrupted.

Sakura closed her eyes, trying to ignore the sound of her dress' zipper as it lowered to reveal her chest. Unfortunately, feeling the blond's heated hand fall to her stomach, she couldn't suppress a groan from slipping past her lips.

In contrast to Sakura's hell, Naruto was in heaven. Sucking in hot air through flared nostrils, the youth could feel his excitement mounting as Sakura's warm skin ran under his fingertips. More than once he found himself having to swallow to keep himself from drooling.

Despite her reservations, the girl couldn't disguise the twin points still peeking out the front of her bra. As Naruto's hand finally descended on one developing mound, all the girl's fears came true as the already erect nipple responded to the stimulation, a spark of electricity spreading throughout the nub of flesh and right down to between her legs. Sakura cringed.

If she thought the blond was done, she was sorely mistaken. Now having finally taken hold of her breast, he was taking his time familiarizing himself with the female anatomy. She could hear him breathing heavily, feel it on her exposed skin. Because of their position he was that much closer to her chest. His face resting mere inches away.

Despite the distinct lack of mass, Naruto found himself thoroughly enjoying himself as his palm rubbed against Sakura's chest. Hearing her gasp, feeling the tight pebble of her nipple against his hand, it was all he ever wanted and more. And he knew it could be even better.

"Sakura-chan," he called. Said pink haired girl opened her eyes, shame lancing her features as she was forced to meet her boyfriend's gaze. Seeing that he had her attention, he grinned before fingering the hem of her bra. "Hey, any chance I could talk you out of this thing? I… was kinda hoping to get a better look this time around." And just like he expected, her lust hazed eyes opened wide at his request, worry pouring from her every pore.

"B-But," she stammered, covering her chest with her arm. "Hey, how far are you going to take this? Seriously, s-stop joking around. I'm going to start getting annoyed." Trying to sound tough, the girl barely managed to get the words out, distracted by the finger still stroking around the base of her feminine curves. Still, the blue eyed boy just stared at her, waiting for her to give in to his request, as though he knew she would. And if she was being honest, part of her knew as well.

Shrugging her shoulder's out of her dress, the rest of the material pooled around her lap. Afterwards the young teen reached around her back, pressing her budding breasts into the blond's face as he kept her firmly in his lap. He didn't seem to mind in the least, grinning a stupid grin as he leaned into the soft skin. Sakura felt him do this and tried her hardest not to look upset. The weight of stripping out of her bra was a far more pressing issue than Naruto being an idiot.

Despite her age, young Sakura had already developed an insecurity over her less than developed chest. In comparison to her classmates, and especially Ino, she felt years behind, little more than a flat chested boy. But Naruto wanted to see them and now she was going to show him, again. Pinching her features tight, she felt the hooks come lose and with them, her bra.

As soon as he noticed the straps around her shoulders go slack, the blond turned his attention from the girl's breast to watching her shrug out of her bra. Soon, the gentle pink color of her nipples came into view, now flushed a darker red color and as hard as any stone. The difference from before was obvious to both of them. And seeing the state of her body's arousal, Sakura found herself praying for any kind of natural disaster to distract him and end this whole thing. Unfortunately, another wouldn't happen so soon.

"T-There not very big…" Sakura found herself apologizing, as though she cared about impressing Naruto of all people. But Naruto or not, this was still the first boy to see this much of her body in her life. And the girl in her found herself needing his approval. Thankfully, Naruto was always ready to please.

"They're beautiful," the blond answered. Hearing the awe in her teammates tone, she couldn't help but turn her face to peek at his expression. Seeing his blue orbs trained on her naked breasts, approval and appreciation filling both eyes, Sakura felt her body flushing with embarrassment. But, a good kind for a change. One that actually made her kind of happy she'd let Naruto see her. And without being aware of it, the girl found her hunched shoulders and back straightening, offering the young man an even better view.

"Idiot," she muttered. But looking away, she seemed anything but annoyed.

This time as Naruto started playing with Sakura's breasts he was much more careful, touching the nipple directly instead of palming the entire mound. He was fascinated, enthralled with his first real experience handling something so soft, so tender, and so very much intimate. And his expression showed it. All but staring open mouthed, the blond looked almost single minded as he was face to face with his very first breast. That it was _Sakura's_ made it that much more special.

When they had started, he seemed more interested in playing with it than anything else. Out of the corner of her eye, his girlfriend watched him, half mortified, half amused as he poked and prodded the budding breast. Unfortunately that amusement ended just as soon as he opened his mouth and latching onto her exposed nub like a newborn infant.

"!" Managing to at least refrain from throwing herself off the boy this time, Sakura gripped his shoulder to the point of pain. "W-What the hell are you doing, idiot!?" fighting and failing to keep her blush down, the strange sensation of his lips wrapping around her nipple while his mouth was sucking in as much of her breast as it could made any attempt futile. Really, there was no other way for her to describe the feeling, his puckered lips squeezed and massaged the sensitive nub sending jolts of electricity down her spine. Combined with the suction which filled her with a pleasant ache, she was confused, embarrassed and humiliated, but at the same time she couldn't stop the trembling in her thighs for the life of her.

Naruto pulled himself back, releasing the nub with an audible, _'pop!'_ "I saw it a movie Sakura-chan! It's supposed to make you feel really good!" he promised, and without waiting for a response his mouth returned itself to her breast, causing yet another disbelieving squeal to fly from her lips.

"What the hell kind of movie were you watching, pervert?!" she yelled. But it was fairly obvious, even to Sakura herself.

While developing his famous sexy technique he had spent more than a few days gathering research on what best affected the perverts of the village. That included magazines, picture books, and, yes, movies. Movies that he learned much of what he was practicing on his young girlfriend right now.

Despite herself, Sakura found the strange sensations coming from her breast evolving into something that, under the right circumstances, could be described as… pleasant. Not that she would ever admit it, of course. She wasn't _that_ kind of girl after all!

Yet, in spite of her many reservations, as time went on the rough and slightly dry texture of Naruto's lips made her breasts feel warm and tingly. These alien sensation's only intensified as his hand rose to cup her lonely twin, his finger's pinching at the wrinkled nub. Hunched over, the girl's breathing had picked back up again as she began focusing on the strangely wonderful sensations coming from her chest.

Moving her hand, a quick lash of his tongue forced a gasp from the girl as she moved to grip the back of his head. At the same time, she looked to his hand, blushing as she could see him twisting and tugging it in all the best ways. Before she could stop herself, a breathy moan filled the air while she pressed her chest into his embrace.

"A-A little harder," she murmured, blushing immediately after she realized what she had just said. But the reward was more than worth the embarrassment as the mouth on her nipple increased its suction, drawing her nipple deeper into the wet warmth, bathing the tender flesh with his heated tongue. Felling the rough bumps of his taste buds on her hypersensitive skin, her toes curled and her eyes rolled into the back of her head from sheer euphoria alone.

While all of this was going on, Sakura failed to notice the decidedly hard object that had been poking her in the rear ever since she'd been sat in his lap. Shifting and turning, the young man had spent the most of his time seeking any form of relief. Finally, pulling his head back, the blond just couldn't take it anymore.

Blinking at the sudden lack of sensation on her breast, Sakura pulled her hand from the boy's hair and held her arm over her exposed chest. "W-Why'd you stop?" she wondered, trying and failing to hide her disappointment. Naruto could only grimace apologetically.

"Hey, hey," he prompted, "Sakura-chan… you gotta help me out, okay? I don't think I can last much longer." He frowned in pain. All Sakura could so was stare in confusion, completely clueless as to his plight.

"What do you…?" pausing, the girl took notice of the boy's urgent fidgeting. Finally, the solid bar of flesh and blood rubbing against her bottom became enough of a problem that the girl took notice, only to feel her cheeks illuminate in response. Unable to find the words she could only stare at the blond in disbelief, silently asking if he was actually asking what she thought he'd asked.

"Pleeeeeas?" he groaned.

"W-W-What the hell?!" she exclaimed, violently aware the blond had captured her hips and was now grinding into the softness of her backside. Feeling an indescribable sensation between her legs, Sakura all but threw herself off the engorged member and its owners lap. "No!" she shouted. "God no, no! Naruto go take care of… _that_ somewhere else!" Standing in the middle of the room the girl had all but forgotten her current state of undress.

"But I want you to do iiiiit," the blond complained, shamelessly exposing the tent in his pants as he complained like a four year old. "You'd make it feel better than I ever could!" but his girlfriend wasn't hearing any of it.

"Naruto!" she shouted, shocked by his words. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" Turned away from the blond, she acted as though just looking at the appendage would send it after her. But, being an inexperienced girl, and a curious one at that, Sakura paused her tirade long enough to turn and peek at what she had been sitting on for the last half hour.

Trapped in a pair of orange pants, their front appeared stretched to the limit as whatever was inside pressed against it, desperate to escape. Knowing what she was looking at, and knowing that she was the cause of its state left a blush burning her cheeks. Quickly she turned back towards the wall. "H-How the hell would I even do that?" she asked, trying to sound offended. Despite her best efforts it was clear she was curious.

"Like last night!" the blond exclaimed, jumping on her sudden interest. "It felt so good Sakura, please, please just one more time?"

Recalling the night before, Sakura felt her stomach lurch at the thought of all the slimy white goop he had fired at her. God, it'd taken an hour to get all of it out of her hair. Not to mention two whole bottles of mouthwash. And he wanted her to do that again? Hell no!

Sakura's eyes flashed as she turned to face the blond, erection and boobs forgotten. "Naruto," she growled out, "that was the single most disgusting experience I've ever gone through in my life! There is nothing you can say, or do, that will ever get me to put that disgusting… _thing_ in my mouth, ever again. So you can forget about it!"

"But Sakuraaa-chan!" the blond moaned. Opening his pants he pulled his fly down releasing it from its confines. With only his boxers to keep him covered, the young girl could see it bobbing up and down, matching the pace of his heartbeat. Feeling her face heat up, she found herself unable to look away. Naruto went on to complain, "it huuuuurts!" then, before a lady, he went on to grip the throbbing meat, rubbing it through the material of his underwear. Sakura wanted to cover her eyes. "You didn't mind last night," he reminded her.

"T-That's," Sakura's stomach continued to flip, the taste of his salty cum still sticking to the back of her throat. "I-I didn't… but…"

Watching Sakura in a state of conflict, Naruto could see his words wearing down on the girl. And knowing what was about to come next he could almost feel himself erupt right then and there. Thankfully, before he had the chance, a heartbroken sigh fell from his girlfriend's lips.

Staring at the floor, the young woman looked as though she were about to walk to the executioner's block. Nevertheless, she turned a rueful eye towards the blond before glaring with all her might.

"Fine!" she barked, seeming on the verge of tears. "But only because…. B-Because you really do look like you're in pain!" And before she could talk herself out of it, as though she could, Sakura forced herself to walk towards the restrained member awaiting her attention. She should have been quicker…

"Oh, but take off the rest of your clothes first," the blond added, smiling as happily as ever as red surged through his girlfriends face. "I wanna see all of Sakura-chan!"

"I- No!" the girl managed, blushing as she finally remembered she had been standing in only her bicycle shorts. With her dress still around her waist they might as well not be there at all.

"It's okay, it's okay!" the blond insisted, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. "I'm your boyfriend, remember? I'm supposed to see you naked!" Despite his sound reasoning, Sakura's brow furled in anxiety. Seeing this, the blond though for a moment before returning to his grin. "I get it; you don't think it's fair. But it's okay, I'll get naked first, alright?" And before Sakura could work up the words to speak, the boy in front of her started to strip.

Starting with his jacket, the blond threw the orange monstrosity across the room leaving him in his blue undershirt. Afterwards he reached for his pants, removing what was left of them as his penis bobbed up and down from the awkward moment. Finally, lifting his shirt he only had one thing left to discard, which he did with enthusiasm; exposing his naked dick without a second thought.

"Your turn!" he cheered. But Sakura was too stunned to respond.

Staring at her boyfriend's naked body, Sakura felt all kinds of things in all the wrong places. He was still young, and because of that still somewhat underdeveloped. But hours of training and a high carb diet had left his body surprisingly well cut for his age with all the beginnings of muscular body already starting to take hold.

So surprised by his unexpected attractiveness, Sakura almost forgot her end of the bargain. Though, technically one she never actually agreed to. Thankfully, the throbbing pillar of skin and blood pointed right at her quickly broke her from her daze.

Shifting from foot to foot, the young girl was unsure of what to do. As much as she hated to say it, his sudden nakedness did make the prospect of her disrobing somewhat less terrifying. Maybe going a bit further with this would be okay?

Remembering how enraptured he had been when she'd taken off her bra eased her nerves if only a little more. He seemed happy enough with that part of her, maybe he'd like the rest of her as well? Not that she wanted to make Naruto happy, honestly she could care less. But the feeling it had given her, it… it was nice. And moving for the roll of red dress around her waist, Sakura found herself somewhat hopeful.

In the academy she hadn't even wanted to change in front of the other girls. So the thought that she would be showing all of herself to a boy was beyond terrifying. Thankfully, the process was made easier by the fact she had much less to remove at this point.

Pulling the zipper down the rest of its track quickly freed her from what remained of her dress, pooling the red material at her feet. Left in only her bicycle shorts, Sakura tried not to feel too exposed. The spandex was tight enough that the outline of her crotch could be seen if stared at closely. She tried not to think about what was worse.

Glancing up from her growing pile of clothes, Sakura's green eyes met blue ones as she watched him watching her. It would have been laughable, if it wasn't such a scary moment. Naruto, the blond idiot that he was, sitting on her bed, buck naked. He looked as though his eyes were about to pop out of his skull as he took in her form.

It was at this moment that Sakura realized just how much control she had over the young man, that _she_ had done this to him. _She_ was the reason he was so excited. _She_ was the one he was staring at so intently. _She_ was the reason his… thing, was so hard it looked to be on the verge of exploding.

Emboldened with this confidence, Sakura took a deep breath before slipping her thumbs under the waistband of her shorts. "D-don't laugh," she managed, a glare affirming that great pain would come to the blond if he disobeyed. Regardless, the girl squeezed her eyes shut before pulling down the spandex and feeling her crotch kiss the open air.

Rather than prolong the nerve wracking experience, Sakura chose the bolder approach and did away with her panties at the same time. Now standing in nothing but her own skin the young girl was completely exposed and for all of Naruto to see.

"W-Well?" she stammered out, trying her best not shield herself with her arms. Not that she cared, but while she was here she might as well get a second opinion. And by the way Naruto was looking at her, she felt that his was one she would want to hear. "What- what do you think?" The blond could only continue to stare, his jaw actually having dropped much to the girl's delight. Although, much to Sakura's horror, all of his attention seemed to be focused on her, well, center.

Seeing her pulling her underwear down along with her shorts Naruto immediately felt his blood rush in two directions. Naked from head to toe, he looked at her, **all** of her, amazed at just how beautiful one girl could be.

Despite her lackluster breast growth, the rest of her body seemed well on track, with a sparse accumulation of dark pink hairs growing just above the cleft between her legs. "Amazing…" the blond whispered in sheer awe, causing a fresh flush of red to burn under Sakura's cheeks as she watched him stare.

"Idiot!" she cursed, glaring. But under her embarrassment no one could miss the begrudging smile fighting its way across her lips. Why did that have to make her feel so damn… damn… happy?

Having given the blond a long enough show, what little joy Sakura had built up quickly fled as she dropped to her knees for the second time in so many days. She reached for him apprehensively before pausing. "You showered this morning, right?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow. The memory of his sweaty cock and the horrible taste that had come with it still haunted her. Naruto just nodded his head, his excitement bleeding from his pours.

"J-Just let me know before you're about to… you know!" the girl exclaimed, blushing as she glanced at the thick member in her hands. "I don't want another mouthful of your disgusting goop." If she was trying to offend the blond, he didn't look it. Rather, he seemed happy just to keep looking at her, naked as the day she was born and pressed between his thighs.

"You got it!" he promised. Sakura just rolled her eyes before turning them to the bright red head of Naruto's dick.

It looked bigger than in the dark alley from the other night, much to the young maiden's dismay. And even more worrying was the steady stream of clear liquid already seeping from the bulbous tip. Staring at it, Sakura's features twisted as she brought it closer to her face. Finally, not willing to put it off any further, Sakura's swollen lips opened, swallowing the first bit of her boyfriend's cock.

A low moan filled the pink and blue room. Sitting on Sakura's bed, this position was far more comfortable than leaning against the cold wall of her house. Much to Sakura's displeasure, her cautious embrace of the burning rod was interrupted by the sensation of Naruto's hand finding its way to the top of her head. Rougher than she would have liked, she felt it force more of the meat log into her mouth, his resounding moan filling her ears just as his manhood did her mouth.

She allowed him to direct her movements, only so long as he didn't piss her off too much. But the pinkette was smart enough to know that the idiot knew what he liked better than her. And the sooner he got it the sooner this would all be over.

With that in mind, she opened her mouth slightly wider and allowed him to urge her head down the throbbing length before pulling back on the spit slick flesh so only the head remained in the heat of her mouth. Then, just as before he pushed her down, this time slightly further then before, stopping and holding her in place until she pushed against his thighs and withdrew his throbbing member. Her breath flashed over the sensitive skin as she took a gulp of air and allowed him to again plunge past her lips and into her moist cavern. Again and again, over and over the pattern repeated itself.

The pinkette tried not to focus on the smooth skin sliding in and out of her lips. She tried not to focus on the salty excretion she tasted every time her tongue neared the slit of his tip. She tried not focus on the sensation of his pubes against her nose every time the hand on her head forced her down. And most of all she tried not to focus on the horrible, sloppy sucking sounds made every time her pursed lips traveled up the veiny shaft. Which is why, being hyper aware of every single one of those things, Sakura discovered there was little she hated more than being forced to suck dick.

"Sakura-chan," the blond groaned. Leaning back on her bed, he propped himself up with one arm while staring down his stomach to watch the girl work. Despite herself, she made the mistake of meeting his eyes with her own. And each time her lips descended it only seemed to make what she was doing more horrible. She hated this, she hated him, but more than anything, she hated her own stupid body for lighting up every time she saw him watching her with _that_ expression. Like… like she was...

Special

"Sakura-chan," he panted.

He was getting close, and the young girl hated how she knew that. The way his dick throbbed in her mouth, the way she could feel his balls lifting in his sack. By now the hand on the back her head had a fist full of bright, pink hair. It didn't hurt. Not too much, anyway, or else she would have long since done something about it. But the grip was more than enough to control her movements, becoming faster and faster.

By this point Sakura had stopped sucking, choosing to give her jaw a rest. Still, feeling his dick piston in and out of her welcoming mouth, she could feel him rubbing against her tongue and the roof of her mouth.

"Sakura-chan!" he shouted, giving the warning he had promised. No sooner did her name leave his lips did she pull her mouth free of his cock, only to realize she had prepared no alternative to catch his juices.

In an act of desperation the girl reached for her shorts, pulling the discarded material of her panties free. The image of them shocked her, and wanting to find something else she knew she had no time. With a sigh of disappointment, she sacrificed the pink garment, wrapping them around the head of his cock just as it began to spew.

Without being forced to be on the receiving end of his jizz, Sakura found herself oddly amazed at the sight before her. In her hand she could feel the deep swell along the underside of his shaft as it carried spurt after spurt of cum through his length. Each time it burst from his tip, getting caught in the thin material of her underwear. But soon, even that wasn't enough to contain it, and Sakura watched as the white seed oozed through the cloth and down her hand.

It was disgusting, feeling it slide down her hand like a slug. But it was better than allowing the blond to paint her walls. And quickly, at least faster than last night, the white goo began to taper off until finally slowing to a stop.

With a grimace Sakura pulled her underwear away, only to stare in disgust as she found nearly every inch of it saturated with the blond's cream. A sigh of disappointment escaped her as she dropped it onto her pile of clothes, knowing that they were ruined beyond washing. And they were one of her favorite pairs too…

Panting like an over stressed dog, Naruto lay on his back, eyes closed in satisfaction. He rested, arms out and completely unabashed as his limp dick dripped out the last few drops of his load.

"Sakura-chan," he panted. Though she could still hear the amount of reverence he held in his tone. "You, are so good at that!" he exclaimed, nearly giving the girl a round of applause.

Still on his back, he couldn't see the bright flush of indignation that flared beneath her cheeks. "Idiot!" she snapped. "Who the hell would want to be praised for something like that?!" but, knowing the blond couldn't see, the young woman still took a moment stare at his disheveled shape and smiled despite herself.

 _She_ had done that to him, left him in that state. Not Ino, not anyone else, HER.

"S-sit up on the bed." He finally spoke up after a full minute and a half.

Wiping his brow with the back of his hand, the blond was back to smiling as he watched Sakura rise from the floor, a position she didn't seem to enjoy all that much. Feeling her covers meet her bare bottom, the pink haired girl immediately turned her head away, the fact they were both still naked a clear fact.

Sakura felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, stiffening before cautiously relaxing into his embrace. The feeling of his skin against hers was warm and strangely comforting after her experience. Still, she was very aware of his penis inches from her side.

"Seriously," the blond spoke, his tone calm and much smoother than she was use to. "That felt amazing; you're the best, most beautiful girlfriend any guy could ever have."

At his sudden praise Sakura found herself unsure of what to say. Finally, biting her lip her eyes stared at the floor as she tried to keep her voice level. "Um, sure… thanks."

She wasn't used to being praised, not by her peers at least. The teachers, sure, her parents, of course, but people her own age? Never. Not since Ino anyways. So hearing the boy recognize not only her abilities, but also her looks, Sakura found herself genuinely touched. Which is why, when Naruto turned her face for another open mouthed kiss, she didn't find herself minding quite so much, even going as far as to meet his tongue halfway before allowing him into her mouth.

For the next few minutes, Sakura stayed like this, neck craned and hands resting on the bed to keep herself steady. Naruto moved his lips slowly against hers, savoring the tender moment. Of all the things they'd done that day, Sakura found herself enjoying this the most. He was being really nice to her, gentle almost. It made her feel cherished. So much so that she hardly noticed him leading her further onto the bed. Even as he laid her on her back, his form hovering above her, it wasn't until his lips shifted to reach the corner of her neck that the girl realized the position she'd been put in.

Moaning, her hands pressed into the firmness of his chest. "N-Naruto?" she gasped, the sensation of his lips nibbling at her neck stealing the brunt of her attention. But the blond just hummed in response, feeling his limp member rise to its former hardness.

"Hey," he whispered as he neared her ear, "it's okay, right? You don't mind if we keep going?" Not waiting for her to answer, his hand subtly moved from her shoulder to cup her breast, his thumb rubbing her nipple. All the pink haired girl could do was gasp, the implications almost too much for her to handle.

"N-no!" she blushed, color swirling in her cheeks as she looked up at her boyfriend. "Naruto!" But he wasn't listening. Instead he busied himself, playing with the girl's breast and sensitive skin. Feeling both attacks at once, she couldn't help but mewl, her legs shifting in strange ways as the sensations tingled her toes.

"What's the matter, huh?" he asked, smiling into her neck as he listened to the gentle sounds she was making. At the same time he abandoned her breast to caress the plane of her ribs before moving even further. Like this, his surprisingly nimble fingers eventually made their way to the girl's hip.

Feeling his hand moving, a gentle gasp filled her small frame. She dug her nails into his chest. "I… I," she tried to speak, but couldn't. Instead the poor girl simply groaned, pressing her forehead into the blond's shoulder as his hand brushed over the hill of her leg and down her inner thigh.

"Hmm?" the blond asked. Moving from over the pink haired girl, the boy fell to his side pressing himself against her. As a result, Sakura flushed a deep red as she realized she could feel her teammates newly erect penis pressing into her side. Thankfully, she was much too concerned with a certain blond's hand that was slowly but surely making its way up her thigh.

On her back the girl had her legs pressed securely together, her last defense against the smooth talking boy. Naruto stayed where he was, resisting the urge to press past the stubborn limbs. He knew a better way.

Sakura was too slow to stop him as his lips moved to recapture hers. All she managed was to lay a single hand on his shoulder's which quickly went slack as soon as that damn tongue of his wormed its way in, turning her usually sharp mind of tempered steel into a puddle of molten goo.

"See, see?" he urged, breaking the kiss just long enough for his breath to wash across her face with every word. "This isn't so bad, right?" he stared into her glazed over eyes, knowing that she wouldn't respond.

Was it so bad? Sakura was having trouble remembering. What was she not supposed to do? It was getting so hard to think.

Unconsciously, the girl rubbed her thighs together searching for the contact her body craved. No matter where she was touched it all seemed to focus down there. And with Naruto's hand so close, it was so tempting to let him have what he asked. Sakura's legs slowly began to relax. And Naruto's eyes squinted against the grin threatening his face.

"Heh-he, there we go!"

Turning to look at his lover's lower half, Naruto's eyes focused on the fluff of cotton candy colored hair and how close his hand had come to touching it. As composed and reassuring as he seemed on the outside, on the inside his brain was jumping up and down in all kinds of excitement.

' _Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan,_ ' he repeated, it was all his mind could handle under the sensory overload of having his long loved crush in bed with him, naked. With her legs no longer crushing his hand, he drew his fingers up her leg, feeling the smooth softness of her inner thigh. He could feel his breath deepening with each passing second.

"Naruto!" Sakura gasped. The boy was right with her.

He could feel the wetness that had been seeping from the girl, coating her inner thighs. "Sakura-chan," he answered, his chest thumping as he crossed the last few inches. Before he knew it, he could feel a new skin meet the side of his hand, softer than any other part of her. This was quickly followed by a sharp gasp.

The boy's hand touched her special place. Sakura's eyes snapped open only to find Naruto's blue orbs already watching her face. Unable to say anything, her features wrinkled in confliction, an unsureness so profound that the girl couldn't remember the last time she had felt so lost.

She was only fourteen, still a girl by most people's standards. Yet she could only marvel at herself, completely naked and with a boy's finger resting against her feminine area. Her mother had warned her about this after her first period. How boys would start to look at her, how they would try and talk her into doing things she wasn't ready for. She'd been so quick to brush the older woman's advice aside.

"I'm not stupid enough to fall for that," she'd said. "There's no way I'd let a boy talk me into doing anything I didn't want," she'd sworn. It was only now that she regretted not taking her mother's advice to heart. But, then again, her mother had also neglected to tell her just how good those things would feel. So, maybe they could share the blame?

"Naruto?" she asked, suddenly shy and demure. It was so unlike the pink haired girl; Naruto could only stare, burning her expression into his brain as best he could.

"C-Can I?" he asked her. Once again the girl felt herself become torn.

She was still so young, too young to already be introduced to such adult activities. But every time she thought about pushing the blond off, the subtle shift would rub her against his rough, callused hand and sparks would fly. She was hardly moving at all, and it already felt so good. As embarrassing as it was to think about, she could feel her core dripping onto the comforter of her bed. Her body wanted this, she could feel that, but did that make it okay?

In a flash of motion, her arms, which had been crossed over her chest, moved around the blond's neck to capture him and pull him into a kiss. The first one she had ever instigated.

 _'Whatever!'_ she exclaimed, throwing caution to the wind. _'I don't care anymore! I don't care if I'm turning into that kind of girl.'_ Just as long as he stopped that horrible throbbing inside her. And no sooner did the thought pass through her mind did she feel the hand at her vagina shift, piercing between the cleft and invading the heated warmth of her femininity. Sakura's back arched in response.

It took some coxing, but eventually Sakura became comfortable enough to open her legs and offer him better access to the swollen mound of her womanhood. Naruto's touches might have been amateurish, but Sakura was a virgin, one who barely had the nerve even to explore her own body. Thankfully, this meant they complimented each other nicely.

Sakura felt like she was in heaven. Moaning into her boyfriend's mouth, the girl could feel his finger's running up and down her slit. Every now and then they seemed to catch on a spot at her peek that left her legs quivering like Jell-O and her brain very much the same. But overall, just the experience of having a boy touch her down there at all was enough to force her blood flowing.

Breaking the kiss, Sakura's eyes went wide at another new sensation, this one a bit more invasive. "Shhh," the blond tried to calm her, feeling her tense around his fingers. Rather than panic the girl stared with worry between her legs, wrapping her fingers around the arm of the hand that was pushing into her body. Her nails leaving marks that would last for days.

Falling back onto the bed, Sakura forced herself to breathe, getting use to the alien sensation of something entering her body. It wasn't painful, thankfully. The copious amounts of lubricant her body had been producing insured that. But there was a definite pressure that left her frowning.

"You feel amazing," the blond whispered into her ear, praising her with a deep sigh as his digit began to move around. All the girl could do was close her eyes and turn into the blond, letting his kind words motivate her to endure. Thankfully, faster than she thought she would, the strange sensations of her boyfriend's finger began to develop into something close to pleasurable. And soon Sakura returned to her lusty haze, latching her lips onto the blond's neck as he continued to massage inside and around her womanhood.

Feeling Sakura's lips on his neck, the blond felt a shutter role through his body and into his dick. Even more amazing though was the warm, slickness he was feeling inside her body. It was so soft, but also surprisingly strong. One moment it seemed as pliable as freshly made dough, but then the walls around his finger would clench down with the strength of a fist. It was marveling over this that Naruto realized a shocking truth.

Woman's bodies were amazing. Thankfully, Sakura seemed prepared to let him do as he pleased and explore the glorious mystery.

Every now and then he made sure to whisper some kind of compliment as they seemed to calm her down whenever she was about to panic. Something about how beautiful she was, or how she was doing an amazing job, or how good it felt to hold her or touch her. Every time she would glance up at him, her eyes unsure as though she wanted to see if he was telling the truth. Seeing that he was, and knowing what she was doing, she would look as far away from the blond as possible to hide the startled blush and shameful smile.

In his core, Naruto could feel his dick throbbing with the demand to release. Despite his earlier emission, the time spent stroking his partner's sex reenergized his reserves tenfold. Lost in her own pleasure she didn't notice it, but with each press of his finger's his dick rubbed against her hip only adding to his torture. Thankfully, he knew a place he could put it that would finally give him the pleasure he had been waiting for.

Pulling his hand from her honey pot, he stared at the clear liquid saturating his fingers. He never meant for things to go this far, honest. Sure, he planned to make her his girlfriend, maybe get in another blowjob if the mood was right. But how quickly that simple kiss had evolved.

Leaning back he stared down at _his_ girl, a nervous energy building in his stomach as he tried not to become overwhelmed. She looked so beautiful, just like she always had. He tried to ignore it, tried to tell himself to walk way, but he couldn't. He wanted her, he wanted her for so long and now he finally had the power to take her. All of her.

"N-Naruto?"

Opening her eyes, Sakura looked to see what had made the blond stop. Upon seeing what could only be her juices staining his hand, the young woman felt her eyes narrow in embarrassment. "Idiot!" she barked, hiding her face from his view. "What the hell are you doing looking at that? Jerk!"

But rather than shout or apologize like she was expecting, peeking up towards his expression she was surprised to see an honest to god look of embarrassment on the blond's cheeks. Perhaps the first of the night. Furling her substantial brow, she could only watch as the young man moved to climb on top of her, his face mere inches from her own. Silently his eyes stared into hers.

Naruto knew he wasn't the smartest person in the village. He knew he was annoying, that he talked too much and got too excited and overall just couldn't control himself. But he was smart enough to know this was a serious moment.

"H-hey," he started, his voice low and shockingly quite. "Um," he glanced away, not able to meet her gaze. "You… you know I care about you, right?" he asked, suddenly vulnerable. Not hearing any kind of response, his eye flicked towards the girl before quickly looking away. "I mean, for more than just, um… this." Awkwardly he motioned towards their naked selves.

"Ah…" Sakura hesitated. Curling her brow she didn't understand the question. "I guess?" she tried, "I mean… I know you've been asking me out ever since the academy, so…" she stopped, not sure where to continue. Naruto's face narrowed impatiently.

"Yea," he insisted, "but, like, more than that!" Still her green eyes only looked on in confusion. Naruto sighed. "I just mean that this is important to me. I-I wouldn't be happy if it were some other girl. You… you mean a lot to me and I want you to know that I won't ever make you cry. I promise that I'm not just gonna leave you. And I never break my word!"

This time turning to look at the girl his gaze held, now filled with a fiery determination. Sure, he may have tricked her into going out with him, and kissing him, and all that other stuff. But it was okay. Because he was in love with her. Which is why what he was about to do next would be okay too. Because love makes it okay.

"I…" Sakura stopped her eyes wide with shock. It was everything she had ever wanted to hear, except from the wrong boy's mouth. And wanting to dismiss the words, Sakura couldn't ignore their sincerity, or the serious atmosphere radiating off the blond. Still, he looked nervous. And him being nervous made Sakura nervous. Too nervous to say anything, Sakura could only look away, shielding her rosy cheeks from his view. But he wouldn't let her.

This time, Sakura was surprised to feel a hand cup her cheek, forcing her to meet the blond's blue gaze. Opening her mouth to babble, she was thankfully saved from that fate as the blond's lips descended, stopping them before she could begin.

Unaware, the girl had neglected to close her spread legs after Naruto had withdrawn his hand. Because of this, Naruto had no problem landing between the appendages, the head of his knob pressing into the softness of her pink pubes.

With one arm braced above her head, he kept himself from crushing her while the other stole another handful of her youthful flesh. Over her ribs, he glided downward before ultimately moving to cup the delicious swell of her rear and then down her thigh to lift her leg. Sakura squeaked. Unfortunately this was all she could manage with a second tongue in her mouth.

"Naru-," she managed before his lips captured hers once again. It wasn't until she gave a hard shove that the blond leaned back allowing her to look past the small swell of her breast to the ridged cock poised to steal her innocence. Sakura could feel hear heart jump.

"W-What do you think you're doing?!" the girl's voice violently shook. She didn't bother holding back at all as she smacked the boy on his chest. Wincing, all Naruto could do was blush before feeling the smooth skin of her leg.

"Hey, hey," he tried to laugh, seeing the enraged expression. "Come on, we've already come this far." Sakura stared, shocked.

"That's… No!" she repeated herself. Looking between her legs again, she stared at the pillar of flesh hanging off the boy's body. Curved towards her face, it would only take one simple motion to pierce her depths and steal her coveted virginity.

In the back of her mind Sakura found herself picturing the act, wondering how it would feel to have something that big inside of her. The memory of his fingers was still fresh, not to mention he'd left his job half finished. This left the young woman in a horrible state of blue balls that demanded to be satisfied. But, she couldn't. Not with that. She wouldn't, Sakura shook her head.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, seeing the fear in her eyes. "You know it would feel good. Where's the harm in that? Don't you want to see what it's like? Aren't you a little curious?"

"But…" Sakura stopped, not letting the boy see her indecision. Of course she was curious. At their age who wasn't at least a little interested in exploring the taboo act. But wondering and doing were two very different things!

Moving his hips, the blond tried to show the girl just what she was missing. With the tip of his dick, he dragged it through the tangle of pink hair and met the heated mess of wetness that was Sakura's crotch. Both couldn't resist grunting at the contact.

"Naruto!" Sakura bit, but her heart was beating too hard to for any real anger to come about. Instead, she found her fingers gripping whatever part of the blond she could find, holding on for dear life. "D-Don't…" but she couldn't even finish.

"S-See?" the blond tried to smile, pleasure stealing his features. "Fun right?" rather than answer, Sakura only groaned.

She was only fourteen, but it felt so good, Naruto wasn't Sasuke, but it felt so good. She was saving herself for her wedding night, but it felt. So. Good! Cursing, Sakura could feel tears of pleasure welling up in the corners of her eyes as the blond continued to rock his pelvis, rubbing the length of himself along the crease of her slit.

With every pass of his dick, his entire length grinded against the small pink hood of Sakura's clit. Very much the same as a hammer breaking stone, each time he struck a little bit more of her control flaked way. So much so that, feeling him press his face into her neck, and hearing the words he whispered into her ear, she felt the last strike split the stone in two.

"Hey," his breath was warm even against her heated skin. Feeling his breath against the shell of her ear, a shiver tingled down her spine. "It's okay, right?" he continued to press. "Say it's okay, Sakura-chan." Reduced to a quivering pile of meat, the young woman felt the last of herself break away, her eyes fading into an expression of acceptance.

"O-Okay…"

It was less than a whisper, forced through the thick emotion clogging her throat. Sill, to Naruto's ears it may as well have been a shout.

"You're the best, Sakura-chan!" the blond exclaimed. Pulling out of her neck, the boy leaned back onto his knees to stare at her welcoming body. In his hand, he gripped his member, the excitement of where he was about to stick it clear on his face. In contrast, Sakura was shaking like a leaf, her eyes wide as she watched the blond.

"S-Stop staring so closely!" she tried to shout, her face becoming enveloped in a bright red color. With her legs still open to accommodate her partner, Naruto had a completely unobstructed view of her most precious of places. "I-Idiot!" Unfortunately for her, the blond wasn't paying her words any kind of notice.

Following the small trail of her legs, at their center a prominent mound of soft skin rose from the young lady's pelvis. Split down the middle, the two chubby lips gave way to another set, inflamed with her arousal. Deep red, they hung from between her cleft only quarter of an inch. Still a young girl she was still developing, practically untouched. Though not for long.

"Naruto!" she seemed on the verge of tears. Mercifully the teen obeyed, though nothing could wipe the smile from his face.

Sakura watched, hands clasped nervously on her chest, as Naruto positioned her legs. Lifting them both, Sakura wanted to hide her face as she found her hips being raised, exposing herself even more. But as much as she wanted to look away, she found herself compelled to watch. Especially as the blond took hold of his member and lowered it out of her line of sight.

Feeling the tip against her folds, Sakura's hand dropped to her comforter which she balled into her clenched fist. "C-Come on," the blond swore. Looking at his face she could see him glaring in frustration, searching from her entrance.

Swallowing nervously, Sakura waited for the blond to find her opening, flinching each time he got it wrong. After a minute passed, she found herself sighing, impatiently hoping for him to get it over with. But then, this was Naruto, and while he would probably figure it out given enough time, Sakura's nerves were already frayed. Rather than sit through this any longer, the young woman forced herself to breath before reaching between her legs.

"Just… let me," she grunted. Feeling her hand around his erection, Naruto blushed at his ignorance but shifted out of the way. Moving himself considerably lower than he had been aiming, Naruto could see why Sakura had felt the need to step in.

Feeling the tip of Naruto's head against Sakura's opening, both teens flinched. Freezing, Sakura kept her fist firmly around his shaft.

Breathing deeply, her bare chest rose and fell as she waited for her beating heart to slow down. But it didn't. If anything, the weight of the moment only seemed to stretch her anxiety further. She knew it wouldn't get better, not so long as she was forced through this type of purgatory. For the sake of her sanity alone, the young woman released her partner, discarding the last of her reserves. Naruto's hips pressed forward.

Against his hip, Naruto felt Sakura's legs instantly draw against him, clenching around his penetrating form. The blunt tip of his erection pressed against her opening. Grunting in determination, he could feel the tight ring protecting the delicate flesh beginning to give way, opening to his invading member. Sakura felt the full effects of this, forcing her to grab her lover's arms as she felt herself stretched open for the first time. Finally, after what seemed a life time, both tensed as the head of his member popped inside.

Naruto stopped for a moment trying to control his breath lest he pass out. Using the moment to look at his girlfriend, she was staring wide eyed between their bodies, half way in between disbelief and pain.

Already he could feel the heat that had warmed his fingers. Against the bulbous head of his shaft, it was a new sensation entirely. It called to him, urging to force himself deeper into the young woman. Being the inexperience boy he was, he couldn't help but give in, pushing himself forward despite the white fingers gripping at his biceps. Sakura yelped.

He could feel something, some kind of blockage stopping his progression. Whatever it was seemed to pain Sakura as she turned her eyes to his, silently begging him to stop. Despite the tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes, he couldn't control himself, consumed by the soft wetness welcoming him into her body. Groaning, Naruto closed his eyes, before pressing his hips forward one last time, punching through the young woman's innocence without as much a moment's hesitation.

All at once Sakura seemed to scream, a short, high pitched burst of pain that forced the building wetness over the rim of her eyes and down her cheeks.

Breathing through sobbing breathes; Sakura felt the stiff flesh inside of her, wondering if she had been torn in two. This was nothing like his fingers; those had been nice, pleasurable even. But his… his thing was nothing but pain.

"D-Don't move!" Sakura gasped, her chest rising and falling in small panicked gasps as she tried to make sense of what was inside of her. Thankfully, having his member fully engulfed in the tight warmth that was Sakura, the blond had no intention of moving an inch. Rather, he was perfectly content to rest his head between her breasts, running his hands up the sides on her hips.

Sakura's hand clawed the blond's back, redistributing a fraction of the pain he'd forced her to endure. In the haze of her pain, Sakura's mind raced.

How could _this_ be sex? How could this be the thing everyone seemed to talk about? This wasn't fun, this didn't make her feel mature. It just hurt. Really, really fucking _hurt!_

Whimpering, Sakura tried to keep her hips completely still. Even the steady throbbing through his length was enough to increase the acute stinging that lanced her throughout her lower belly. Thankfully, though it was a slow process, Sakura could feel the acid like pain begin to bleed out of her. And slowly, she felt her heart settle in her chest.

"Hey," the blond urged. Looking up from her chest, he'd been watching her. Opening one of her clenched eyes, the young woman looked to be trying to glare. The actual result was pathetic, and what Naruto saw could only be described as fear.

Closing her eye after a few seconds she rested her head against the mattress before sighing. "What, Naruto?" she just wanted the day to be over, for everything to be over. The entire day had been one weird moment leading to another. Unfortunately, Uzumaki still had plans for her. And feeling his hips starting to twitch, Sakura felt her eyes widen, flinching at the sudden agitation.

"Are you okay now?" he asked, somewhat impatient. Normally he knew he would be much more compassionate for another's pain, especially Sakura's. But being inside her while unable to move left him feeling reckless. Before she answered, he felt his hips move forward. His chest shuddered at the sensation of her walls sliding over his shaft. Sakura hissed.

"W-Wait!" she exclaimed. Feeling him move inside of her, all the discomfort she felt herself becoming accustomed came back, flooding her pelvis with needles and razor blades. Reaching up, her face clenched as she waited out the pain, forcing the blond still as she held onto his shoulders. Considerably faster this time she felt the robbing pain disappear allowing her to release her kept breath. She glared up at her partner.

"Just give me a second! This fucking hurts you know!" she informed him, hatefully frowning as she tried to find a position that didn't put so much pressure on her insides. However, no matter how still he tried to be, this was still Naruto. And as such she could feel him rocking back and forth in small jerking motions.

"I'm sorry," the blond smiled, not sounding sorry in the least. "You just feel so good! I can't help myself." Rather than feeling flattered, however, Sakura just felt her anger spike urging her to force her nails even deeper into the blond's arm. Why the hell did he get to feel so damn good?!

Still, Sakura knew she couldn't keep him still forever. And by then most of the pain that was unbearable had drained away. Preparing herself, Sakura tried to get as comfortable as possible before relaxing back onto the bed. As long as she kept her muscles relaxed it wasn't so bad. Finally, begrudgingly she gave the blond a cautious glare.

"Go slow!" she ordered leaving no room for argument. Granted, any kind of movement alone was more than enough to satisfy the blond. And quickly he reacted to her words, slowly drawing himself from her sheath.

Sakura felt the sensation of him leaving her, strangely without pain. Dropping her guard for a moment, she found herself wondering if the worst had really over. Unfortunately, this was when the blond decided to push his length back inside, returning all the pain she had been about to forget. This was going to be a long night.

True to his word, Naruto satisfied himself, pushing and pulling his length at a slow and measured pace. With one arm braced above Sakura's head, his other grabbed the curve of her hip as he moved his own. Bellow, Sakura endured with clenched teeth feeling each thrust with acute stabbing pain. Thankfully, after a few minutes the young woman could feel the last bits of pain fall away leaving only the strange and somewhat uncomfortable sensation of something filling and moving inside her.

Without the pain to distract her, she found herself focusing more on the actual act. Sakura could feel every detail of his manhood inside her, down to every vein and ridge. It only cemented the reality of what she was doing, that she was really having sex. It felt so strange, so alien, and so impossible that she felt positive that it couldn't possibly be real. But every time she opened her eyes the same sight of a flushed blond filled her eyes, face pinched in pleasure as his sweat dripped onto her naked breasts, mixing with her own.

Sakura willed herself to relax into her bed, letting Naruto have his way with her. She wanted him to hurry up and cum so she could be done with the whole mess. Unfortunately, thanks to her _expert_ mouth skills, his first and easiest load had already been spent, forcing her endure this much longer session.

She could feel the force of his hips impacting her own, shaking her whole body and the bed underneath. As time passed, the blond noticed Sakura's adjusting and speed up accordingly. Now, Sakura had to endure the loud slapping sounds echoing throughout the room as his body met hers. Even more embarrassing however, were the obvious wet noises of his cock sliding in and out of her opening, louder and more…distinct than the blowjob she had given him earlier. Sakura's ears turned pink at the vulgarity of it, that her own body could produce such a noise felt like a betrayal in of itself.

Shifting uncomfortably, the change in angle forced the length of Naruto's member to grind against the top of her inner walls in way that felt entirely new. Immediately Sakura felt a spark of something she had been able to feel when the blond's fingers had been exploring her depths.

Blushing, she bit her lip, unsure what she was supposed to do about the discovery. It wasn't as though she was supposed to enjoy herself after all. This was just to get Naruto off so he would leave. But the promise of pleasure was a tempting one. And despite the time spent inside of her, Naruto looked pretty intent on taking his sweet time enjoying their first coupling.

Biting her lips, Sakura glanced at the gasping blond before shifting her hips, trying to find the angle that had given her that burst of pleasure. It took a few moments, and was more than a little awkward, but holding onto his shoulders Sakura felt her back arch when she managed to recreate her miracle.

Oh… wow.

Suddenly she found herself enjoying the act of sex a bit more than the dull hindrance it had been. Actually, feeling the blond's head press inside her, Sakura had to admit that she might even say it wasn't horrible. Barely… Maybe. Probably not. Regardless of those thoughts, the pinkette quickly found herself exploring this new opportunity.

One result, she found, was how much more she felt when she tried 'squeezing' down on the blond. It was strange at first, trying to control that part of her body, quite literally using a muscle she had never used before. But the reward quickly encouraged the action as she felt a pleasurable wave of tingles arch the length of her spine filling her body with a wonderful warmth.

Fairly quickly, Sakura found herself turning from a dead fish to just as active as her partner, thrusting her hips to meet his and grunting at the best parts. Even as the sounds of their coupling increased, both the noise of their hips as well as the wetness from her crotch, it all seemed to fall into the background, erased by the overwhelming presence of her partner.

As good as things had felt before for the blond, as Sakura began to match the movements of his hips he could immediately feel the difference. Before it had been like thrusting into a warm wet glove tightly smothering his member every time he forced himself inside. Now he could feel her inner muscles grabbing him, greedily pulling him deeper with each thrust. And her heat, while before had been wonderful, had evolved into an ever increasing inferno that threatened to burn his length off. It was only the overwhelming wetness that seeped from her opening that assured Naruto that there was no actual fire burning his cock. Rather, it was simply a hot blooded young girl eagerly exploring her body for the first time.

Grabbing a fist full of the bed under her, his breath came fast and hard as he felt himself increasing his speed even more. This brought a deep moan from the girl below him, as she found herself consumed by her own cravings. She tried to keep up, spreading herself even wider as she thrust against his hammering pelvis. This only drove her further as the shockwave of motion slapped against the hardened bundle of nerves peeking from its hood for the very first time.

"S-Sakura-chan," he panted, his breath rolling out of his lungs as fast he could pull it in. Sakura wasn't much better, having been reduced to a gasping, moaning mess. A puddle in the shape of her body saturated the sheets beneath her.

Naruto gasped, clenching the quivering skin of her thigh. At the same time his arm finally gave out, forcing his chest to mold against hers as they writhed together. Their overheated skin grew warmer from the friction of their passion. The blond couldn't stop from burying his face in her neck, breathing in the musky scent of her body as his hips grinded against the inside of her thighs.

"Sakura-chan," he panted, running his hands along her body. He was getting close. So damn close. "Sakura-chan… you're amazing," he praised her, earning a frightful whimper from under the pinned girl. She seemed content with her legs wrapped around his ass, grinding back with her opening against the length of his shift.

Although she didn't know it, she was fairly close to becoming undone herself. It felt like in the course of their afternoon she'd dropped half her body weigh in sweat and other bodily fluids, yet it just kept coming. From her mouth, from her skin, from _there_. With each pass of Naruto's cock it was as though he was replacing everything lost, forcing more and more of himself inside her as he pushed everything else out.

This was what was on Sakura's mind the first time she felt Naruto's semen explode inside her.

Eyes shooting wide open, Sakura felt a flash of panic wash away the haze of pleasure. "Naruto!" She gasped, panting from exhaustion, "not inside!" she tried to insist. But seized into one singular muscle, the blond's face was pinched tight in pleasure as he released everything that he had inside Sakura's body.

Gripping his shoulder, the pink haired girl quickly gave up her attempt at pulling him out. Instead she found herself submitting to the strange sensation of being filled.

It disturbed her at first. She knew full well what it was he was shooting inside of her, that thick pale smelly slime. On her face had been bad enough but to think about him doing that _inside_ of her made her stomach clench, though not as she had thought it might.

Instead, the steady throbbing of his erection followed by the thick burst of new gravy slowly began to feel pleasurable. Its insufferable heat even more than the inside of her womanhood. Before she realized it, she found herself moving along with his cock, fucking herself around him as she tried so hard to reach what she had been fighting to attain for so long.

"Sakura-chan" Naruto breathed, spending the last of his seed inside of her. He could still feel her wrapped around him, both her legs and her crotch and he felt himself staring in amazement at the sight of his proud team member humping him so desperately.

In a final act of passion, he felt his eyes dim as he cradled the back of her head arching her neck to bring her swollen lips against his. Just before catching them he felt his heart stutter. "I'll always stay by your side," he promised, forcing the girl to open her eyes in shock just before he swallowed the last inch separating them, and capturing her lips.

For her part, she hadn't expected such a sentiment to come from the annoying blond. But, be it that she was currently out of her mind with horneyness, or that she was just exhausted from getting rejected by the same boy every day, but Sakura found herself actually believing him. And, strangely happy to hear him want to claim her so. It was this moment that Sakura closed her eyes, returning the kiss with everything she had.

It all made sense now. Naruto had made her see sense, just like he promised.

No matter how strong she tried to be, down in her core she knew she could never be the same as Ino, or even Naruto. People like them, they made their own strength, they were their own source of power. But she needed others to stand. She needed their reinforcement, needed their approval to feel good about herself.

After so long of getting rejected by her 'love', to see someone so devoted to her, her will crumbled. For the first time in a long time, Sakura just let herself feel. She let herself become consumed by the person nearest to her. She accepted herself as the moon she was and basked in the light of the sun. And it felt so good!

Gasping, all the tension Sakura had been feeling collected in her lower belly released, flooding her body with the most wonderful of sensations. Through the haze she was coherent enough to see the blond still watching her, drawing her in with his bright color as he stared in awe. Just feeling his eyes on her left the girl flushed with warmth and just like that another wave of pleasure crashed over her carrying her away.

Naruto looked down at the girl bellow him and could only watch. In the throes of passion a layer of sweat built up on her skin causing the flushed surface to glisten in the lamp light. Her breasts, which heaved, rising and falling with her gasping breaths pooled with blood turning the once pale orbs a bright red. As well as her nipples which strained in the aching pleasure of release, hardened to the point they could cut through glass.

Around her head, her long locks of pink hair were twisted in every different direction in a beautiful mess. Nervously Naruto tried to calm her, running his clean hand through the beautiful strands. Sakura hummed at the sensation, blearily aware of her surroundings. Opening her eyes, the green orbs took a moment to focus. But as soon as they did they centered on the blond, surprising him as they seemed to twinkle with a sort of warmth he'd never seen in them before.

For her part, Sakura tried to simply enjoy the moment, before her stupid brain reared its ugly head. But that wasn't her. That would never be her.

Naruto moved to slip out from between Sakura's legs, twisting so that his exhausted form collapsed next to hers on the bed. Somewhat nervous, he tried to glance in her direction, and gauge how she was handling her sudden deflowering. Sakura was doing the same.

Her crotch was still tingling with the aftershocks of her release. Other than that she found the rest of her body somewhat numb. But in a really, _really_ nice way.

Mentally, she wondered how she should be feeling. If there was a way a girl was supposed to feel after her first time. She wasn't sure. If she had to put a name to it, she was only able to come to… calm. More calm than she had ever remembered being.

Her green orbs were hidden beneath her eyelashes. She seemed content to rest against her blankets and just breathe. It was hard to gauge any kind of emotion from her. If Naruto didn't know any better he'd swear she was simply asleep. Suddenly her eyes snapped open, flickering momentarily before settling on his prone form.

It had been so simple before. One thing led to another. And before he knew it they were having sex. He didn't take the time to think about what would happen afterword. How she would respond to something so sudden. His power let him talk others into doing what he wanted. But what happened afterwards was completely up to them.

For a long time, she didn't do much of anything, her eyes empty yet searching. Naruto returned the sentiment, waiting for her to act so he could respond. Finally, she moved to look away, her naked form turning while her legs lifted to her chest. This left the boy helpless to do anything but stare at the pale skin of her back.

It broke him. Another rejection. He'd wanted to take his time and show her how much he cared for her. Instead he let his dick ruin his one chance with the girl of his dreams. To think that he had thought for even a moment that she had come to care for him, if only a little. But it was a lie. Just another trick of his own making. No longer under his jutsu, her first reaction was still to turn away. And Naruto… Naruto wasn't sure what to do about it.

"Well!" her voice suddenly spoke up, shocking the sadness from his features. Too surprised he failed to answer, forcing the freshly fucked girl to look over her shoulder at him and glare at his ineptitude. "Naruto!" she nearly shouted, eyes narrowed. "Jeez do I have to explain everything? Are you going to put your arm round me or not?" This time her cheeks burned with her words, but her expression remained the same. Naruto blinked like an owl.

As soon as her words registered in his overly stressed brain, the young man jumped to comply. On his face he felt his cheeks threaten to burst under his own smile. But he didn't care.

Moving himself beside his girlfriend, he cautiously settled his hand on the bottom of her ribs. This seemed to satisfy the pinkette as she relaxed back onto the bed, albeit with a huff. Naruto tried not move too much as his skin settled against hers, his chest against her back, and his legs following the curve of her cradle. After a moment he let himself sigh before pulling her even tighter against him, pressing his face into her neck.

Sakura tensed at his actions, but only for a moment. Just as quickly the young man felt her lean into him and her hand move to cover his own, still gently rubbing the soft skin bellow her breasts.

Though he couldn't see it, on the other side of her head her face burned just as pink as her hair. Though her expression was tight, beneath it laid a look of begrudging joy, still tinted with the pleasure of her first ever orgasm. Try as she might not to smile, the sensation of Naruto's chest against her back felt strong, sturdy, and, though she would never admit it, nice. Before she was aware she was leaning even more against him, shivering as she felt his breath break across her neck.

"I'm tired," Sakura mumbled, her tone not quite as hard as it had been. Glancing over her shoulder, Naruto was gifted his first look at her face. Her expression was so open, so vulnerable. For a second he found himself actually speechless. "Will you… stay, for a bit longer?" and again, her brow lifted in worry at the thought of him leaving so soon after their first time. This fear was unfounded.

"Y-Yea," Naruto swallowed, nodding his against her hair. Sakura felt this and smiled. But quickly turned before the blond had the chance to see her.

"Good," was her answer, quietly whispered. Never the less, Naruto heard it and smiled.

Moving quickly to get back to his position, Naruto reached for the foot of the bed, grabbing the crumbled comforter that had been pushed down during their activities. Without being asked, he draped the warm cover over them both before reclaiming his place at her side.

Seeing the thoughtful action, Sakura felt her stomach flutter in a way that used to only happen around Sasuke.

She wondered for a moment, how the brooding young man would have responded if he had been the one in her bed today. Would he have held her? Would he have worried about keeping her warm like Naruto had? Would he have even stayed? Deep down Sakura felt like she knew the answers to all these questions, and none of them turned out the way she would have hoped.

"J-Just for a little while, okay?" she informed her partner. "Don't think I want you to spend the night or anything." Again she felt him nod against her long pink hair.

"Okay," he whispered.

"And don't think this means it makes me happy or anything. I just don't feel like getting dressed and I'd be cold without someone else in bed."

"Okay," he repeated.

"It… it'll only be for an hour.

"Okay,"

"Two at most.

"Okay."

Now a long silence permeated the room, neither offering a word to quell it. As time went on, Naruto was satisfied listening to her breathing. He could feel her chest gently rising and falling against the hand holding her to him. And the calm rhythm felt peaceful for the first time. Eventually, so much time passed that he thought his crush to have finally drifted away. He was prepared to do the same when she finally spoke.

"Did you mean it?" she asked, her voice tired and small. Lifting his head from his arm, the blond was shocked by its lack of hostility. She almost sounded small. Sakura repeated herself. "Did you really mean what you promised?"

Naruto stopped for a moment, trying to remember what she could be talking about. After a second's pause, the promises he'd made came flying back. ' _I wouldn't be happy if it were some other girl. I want you to know that I won't ever make you cry. I promise that I'm not just gonna leave. And I never break my word._ '

"I never go back on my word," his course voice answered gently. "That's my nindo, my ninja way."

Sakura didn't answer for a time. Finally, after a full minute, she surprised the blond by turning to face him. Only to bury her face in his chest before he could see it. "Good," was her answer. And although Naruto couldn't see it, he could feel her smile press against his chest. "I'd be super pissed if I had to kill my first boyfriend, Naruto-kun."

Again the two fell into silence, but this time, as the moments passed the feint sound of snoring began to sound from the young man's chest signaling Sakura's decent into sleep.

On his back, Naruto stared at the sleeping girl using him as a pillow and once again found his mind wandering towards the question of if his use of his power had been abused.

He had his answer, consequences be damned. After being alone for so long, he finally had what he'd always wanted. If he had to use this gift or miracle or whatever cosmic magic that allowed today to happen then he would do so without regret. Closing his eyes, the last thing he saw before falling asleep was Sakura's sleeping face.

 ***Later***

A sound awoke Naruto, forcing him to blink as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It was dark outside, much darker than he remembered it being. A glance towards his chest explained his difficulty breathing. It also reminded him of his entire afternoon bringing a great smile to his face.

Still fast asleep, Sakura's snores had grown in the few hours. Before what had been a small nasally squeak was now an open mouth rumble as she drooled on his chest. It was a side of Sakura that Naruto had never seen before, that _nobody_ had seen before he realized. Unbidden, he found it just as adorable as the rest of her.

Running a hand through his spiked hair, the young man rested back against the mattress, trying and failing to keep the shit eating grin from his face. Unfortunately for him, in the waking haze of sleep and rediscovering the events of the day, his mind failed to remember the reason he'd woken in the first place. It wasn't until the figure of Sakura's mother loomed above him that he recalled it had been the sound of a doorknob turning. A sound every shinobi was trained to recognize by heart and instinct.

Only a small glance was needed to identify the frying pan wielded in her hand. That, and two green eyes as cold as winter.

Well, shit.

 **A/N: okay everyone, this is where you can expect to see me answer any and all questions and suggestions you all send me in your reviews. In the beginning, I'd planned to answer all of you individually. But then you all were too awesome and before I knew it I had 36 reviews. So, instead I will just answer the questions I saw the most.**

 **We Want Anko!**

 **Okay, for all of the thousands of people who were screaming for anko to be included in my list I can only say that I just don't like her. I don't like her design, her character, her motivation. I don't like a thing about her and I can't find a place for her in the story that I am trying to tell. If that's so disappoint that you can't go on reading my work than I do apologize. Feel free find another writer that more suits your needs. Now, this isn't to say that it's impossible that she will show up. If, down the line, I find a good enough reason to include her into the fold than I will happily do so. But I won't be throwing women into the story, simply because she is attractive.**

 **Fuck Plot Just Give Us Our Porn!**

 **Guys! Guys! I get it, okay? I do. When you come here looking for a good time the last thing you want to find is a story that is interesting but lacs any real sex scenes. I've been there and can't agree more. That is why I make it a point to make sure that my chapters have at least one good scene for you all to enjoy. That being said I am not in the business of writing mindless smut. Those stories that have no context or explanation for their characters fucking might as well not even be fanfiction. You could just as easily fill their names with two other characters and have the same scene. Naruto is an incredible world filled with incredible character and I want to use them to the fullest to create an amazing story that is both interesting and arousing. This means that there is a story that I want to tell that may infringe on some of the things you might want to be included. And while may not be able to write them into this story, that does not mean I wont try and include them into my next Naruto story if I ever decide to write it. So try not to feel to discouraged.**

 **Could You Include _?**

 **I left Anko out of this section just because of how many people were asking for her. This is set aside for the rest of women you asked for, because I can basically give you that same answer. Look at the fucking character list. There is a character list on the first chapter that outlined all the women I currently intend to include. I know you might feel that maybe I just forgot about your favorite waifu. That there is no way I would have left her out if I knew about her. But listen, before writing this I did my goddamed research. I went to the wiki and I searched for all of the female characters that I would want to include. This means movies and filler. If the girl you want isn't on the list, that is because I didn't choose her. Now again, this does not mean it is impossible for her to be included in this story. The creative process is strange and mystifying. And if down the line I have an epiphany and find a way to naturally include them into the story that doesn't make me want to claw my eyes out from plot holes, than I will try and do so. If there are any changes to the list I will let you know at the bottom of the chapter.**

 **Is Naruto going to be evil?**

 **Yes and no, while I wouldn't classify him as evil, as the story progresses I see him pushing the limits of what he does with the women more and more. There will be a lot of embarrassment and mental manipulation to enjoy.**

 **Is this Pre-Shippuden?**

 **Yes, this story starts at the very beginning of Naruto right after he first gets his headband. Ive had some complaints about this, claiming that its awkward to imagine a bunch of kids doing all of this stuff and ive tried to mitigate this by raising their ages just a bit from 12 to 13 and 14. Its not much but if you uncomfortable with this sort of thing than I invite you to read another of my stories with more mature characters. I like the design of most of the girls before the time skip more. Also I kind of want to explain this story from beginning to end. This means that I will be taking Naruto through his life collecting women as he goes through the cannon story. If this does well enough and I still feel inspired by the end of it I may be willing to write a sequel story that goes on to part 2. But at the moment I have no plans to do so.**

 **To Everyone.**

 **Even though this all might sound like I'm super annoyed or upset with anyone, I promise that is not true. I enjoyed every single one of your reviews and I welcome you to write me anything you want. There is nothing I love more than hearing from you all. It's the reason I do this at all. Don't be afraid to send me what you want to see in the story or what you enjoyed. Without feedback I will have no idea how you want the story to go. And especially don't stop with all the praise. I still can't believe how much you all seem to love this story. And if it suddenly stops I might get a little worried. So keep it up.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: wow, been a while huh? Sorry about that. After the incredible reception this story got the last thing I wanted to do was stop updating. Unfortunately, after posting the second chapter I ran into a little road block that made going further a little difficult. But I'm back now and I think you'll enjoy what I've done to further the story. Not a lot of verity yet but we'll get there soon enough. If you enjoy be sure to leave a review.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Tag(s): Missionary, Oral, Petting.**

 **Girl(s): Sakura**

 **Words: 11400**

 **Beta: Lordsofembercelica**

To the untrained eye, it was just another normal boring day in fire country. A few light clouds floated overhead while the warm sun shone down on the earth below, bathing all in its comforting warmth. While most would have been uncomfortable in the stifling summer heat, it was balanced by the harsh eastern winds that blew through the mighty trees of Konohagakure to make for a perfect day to relax outdoors.

Crouching high up in an unremarkable tree as indistinguishable as any of the others, one man remained hidden in the thick foliage. His lone exposed eye scanned the area, watching three figures slowly converge on the same point. He waited for them to stop, slowly shaking his head at just how much training they needed in basic stealth. With a sigh he depressed the receiver on his radio.

"Team seven, report positions, over."

"Crow is in position, over," a bored tone was the first to reply. His dark blue shirt and bright red clan insignia having pegged him 'dead' in the jounin's mind the moment his hair brushed a low hanging branch a hundred yards from his target. _Four out of ten.'_

"Cherry is in position, over." Sakura's sweet voice followed. She had been even worse, pegged 'dead' as soon as she entered the mission area thanks to the loud (for the jounin's ears) swishing of her qipao brushing between her legs. _'Zero out of ten.'_ As the final member spoke, all three teammates found themselves wincing.

"Naruto is in position!" And then there was the last one. Kakashi hated to admit it, but between the three of them, the hyperactive blond actually had the best stealth. That being said, it still left much to be desired. _'Two out of ten.'_ His bright orange jumpsuit negating the fact he had yet to brush against or come into contact with anything but firm ground.

Kakashi sighed remembering that it was pointless to try and reprimand the blond for breaching standard radio operation procedure. Instead he continued with the mission.

"Does anyone have a visual on the target? Over," the Cyclopes asked. Even though he could clearly see the target from his perch, his duty was to monitor his team and grade their performance, not actually help them complete their objective. Sasuke was the first respond.

"Crow, check. Over."

"Move in."

No sooner did the command leave their team leader's lips did Sasuke's figure lunge silently from the shadows to descend upon their target. It never stood a chance.

"Meooooow!"

Gathered together, Team Seven stood around an irate Uchiha grappling with the familiar feline menace, Tora. While the other two at least attempted to hide their amusement, Naruto openly mocked his rival's predicament.

"God damned cat!" Sasuke hissed, his arms and chest getting torn apart by the overweight creature's deadly claws. Lines of blood could be seen crisscrossing his exposed skin. "Can someone grab this thing already?!" No one moved to step in. And so, stuck with the feral beast, Sasuke found himself glaring as they made their way back to the village.

Clenched teeth and curses bitten as they passed through his lips, after several minutes of enjoying Sasuke's distress a certain blond felt his smile broaden. Slowing enough to match his rival's pace, a lone eye turned in his direction to glare, as if daring him to say a word. Naruto naturally rose to the occasion as one might expect.

"Heh-he, geez Sasuke, can't even handle a cat huh, huh?" Hands propped against the back of his head, his relaxed posture was only made even more irritating as he released yet another belly full of laughter. He earned his teammates charcoal dark glare.

"Idiot!" He seethed, flinching as the ball of fur and fangs continued to struggle in his grip. "You think it's so easy, you take it!" Expecting the blond boy to back away, Sasuke was surprised when instead he simply held out his hands. The Uchiha stared at him for a second, watching wearily as though looking for the trap. But when a single swipe of Tora's claw passed across his cheek, Sasuke could feel a line of blood form just inches from his left eye.

This turned out to be more than enough motivation to throw the cat at his teammate. If Naruto wanted to prove a point, then he could get his eyes clawed out. But watching the blond catch the cat, Sasuke found himself surprised.

The cat's substantial weight settled against him and Naruto winced as its claws sank into his forearms. Keeping a pleasant smile on his face, he spoke. "Hey, hey, come on. Don't worry. Calm down, we're just getting you back to your family!" Everyone in Team Seven watched with astonishment as, rather than claw the boy's face off for his troubles, the feline actually seemed to listen, dropping to a ball of dead weight in his hands. It wasn't happy, but it wasn't clawing him either. And that alone was enough to give pause.

When Naruto shot Sasuke his shit eating grin, the pale boy felt his temper flair. "Geez Sasuke, I guess you just don't have what it takes." The taunting ultimately worked, earning the blond a cold glare from his least favorite teammate. He stomped off ahead of the team soon after, chased away by the obnoxious sound of the blond's boisterous laughter.

Watching all of this from behind, the lone female amongst the trio of men could only shake her head.

"Naruto," Sakura groaned. She forced her way up to the blond so he could see her pained expression. "What have I told you about picking fights with Sasuke?" Answering to the pinkette's disapproval, Naruto's laugher abruptly stopped, replaced with an expression of insincere regret. A frown on his face, the light in his eyes unmistakably full of mirth.

At any other time in their life, this would have been met with outright anger. A fist in his face and her voice booming with indignation at her beloved's insult. But this time the young woman found she could only shake her head, subtly slowing her pace to walk next to the shorter blond boy. And Naruto brightened all the more because of it.

Two weeks. That's how long it'd been since she found herself inexplicitly in a relationship with Naruto Uzumaki. How it had happened in the first place was still a little confusing, and quite a bit embarrassing. But already anyone watching could see the drastic change in the nature of their interactions. Naruto was pretty much the same but more controlled and quite a bit calmer, smiling at the pinkette with all his heart. Sakura though, well she couldn't be more different.

Rather than following around her former crush like a lost puppy, she was content to match her pace with that of her new lover. Though not overly happy, her expression was pleasant enough, even bending down to get a closer look at their famed target now that it wasn't lashing out at anything that could bleed. Most surprising of all, however, was her willingness to be touched by the boy who had once disgusted her.

Feeling his hand brush against hers she didn't even glance up. Smiling and poking at the dangerous fur ball, she giggled at its grumpy face and bow. The soft warmth and callused pads of his fingers were comfortable against her silky soft skin. Almost as though it was the most natural thing in the world they walked hand in hand together, and it stayed that way even as they passed through the gates of the village for all the world to see.

The rest of the team watched all this quietly, Sasuke and Kakashi stoically silent as they were. Naruto and Sakura spoke amicably with each other, which was still more Naruto talking than anything else. But Sakura made an effort to at least seem interested. And before they knew it they were nearing the Hokage tower, only breaking their hold on each other at the doors of the mission hall.

"Team Seven mission success," Kakashi's lazy tone drawled. Naruto, Tora still firmly clutched in his hands, raised the feline above his head like it was the greatest trophy he'd ever earned. The Hokage could only smile at the show of cheer, the bright red stamp marking the mission statement as complete and billed.

The daimyo's wife, one of them anyway, came forward immediately to accept her treasured companion. Out of the blond haired boy's arms, it was left screeching at the sudden spine crushing embrace of its master. They could only watch in pity (three of them at least, Sasuke not so much) as it was carted away, a modest sum of ryu left on the table as payment. The last of their business concluded, the team exited the building, the rest of their day free to do whatever they wanted.

Kakashi was the first to leave, his obligation as sensei fulfilled for the day. In a swirl of leaves he disappeared leaving his three genin rolling their eyes. Sasuke was next, walking off in the familiar direction of the Uchiha compound. Neither Naruto nor Sakura were surprised by their teammate's actions as it was all part of their daily routine. Though Naruto, noticing they were alone, brightened considerably.

"Hey, hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto's eyes shined with their familiar brilliance. Sakura flinched back, irritation leaking back into features.

"I'm right here you idiot!" she snapped back, at perhaps an even greater volume. "What have I told you about yelling in my face!" Naruto, the lovable goofball that he was just grinned, the squint in his eyes angling upward in apology even if it too had become routine for them.

"Sorry, sorry," he scratched at the back of his head. "I was just wondering if you could come over today. I mean, if it's okay? It's been way too long, you know?" The implications of his words were not lost on the pinkette whose cheeks warmed considerably at the ease with which he broached the topic. Less angry and more embarrassed, her emerald eyes turned away while she attempted to appear put off.

She supposed she should be getting used to this, but every day it only struck her more just how quickly things had developed between them. In _that_ way especially, it seemed like they were running off to get busy every chance they had. Which wasn't nearly enough by the blond's standards. A stark contrast to Sakura, who felt they were doing it _too_ much. Surely that wasn't normal, right?

"It's only been two days," she reminded him, her mind straying to the aforementioned meeting. The pleasure, the trails of sweat running down her back, the impossible sight of her blond boyfriend's features twisted in pleasure writhing above her. Her cheeks darkened just a fraction more. Though, not for any reasons she would admit.

"Waaaay too long," he answered simply. To which Sakura just rolled her eyes, adamantly refusing to even acknowledge the twitch she felt in her lips. Still, she supposed spending a little time together wouldn't hurt. The small flush that echoed through her body at the thought certainly helped in her decision. Young and full of hormones, it was hardly her fault. Even still, she trained a narrowed stare at the boy, disguising any and all interest.

"Did you buy the groceries I told you to get? If I'm going to be coming over this much there needs to be food I can eat too, and not any more of that disgusting instant ramen." Naruto just nodded his head, a clone had been sent on that little errand just before their team had met up that morning.

"And everything is still clean? If I walk in there to find another mess like the first time you know what will happen," she warned, and what a day that had been. Nervous enough about walking into a boys home alone together, the sheer amount of garbage and the stench that came with it had been enough to peel paint.

Sex completely forgotten, it had been one of the rare days they spent together fully clothed. She had spent the entire day ordering him about while his small army of Shadow clones scrubbed and sanitized. She hadn't minded him using his trademark jutsu, but also made sure he'd been among them working too.

"Spick and span," he swore, confident that he'd gotten everything in order in the hopes of another day of passion with his girlfriend.

"And you got good soap and shampoo I asked for? My parents are suspicious enough without me coming home smelling like…" she didn't finish, the word _sex_ hanging in the air between them. Their reaction the first time around had been bad enough. As if her mother chasing her first boyfriend out of their house with a frying pan hadn't been embarrassing enough, they'd actually gone on to forbid her from ever seeing him again outside of missions.

Well, even if she hadn't had any intention of dating him before, that had been more than enough to make it worth wile to her.

Her mind drifted back to that night, humiliation flooding her body like a cold chill. Waking up naked to the sight of her mother had been horrible enough. The fact that she'd been caught having lost her virginity was all she needed to scream at her mother to get out. But just as stubborn and bullheaded as her daughter, Mebuki had all but ignored her; choosing instead to glare at the blond boy flinching at her side. The next thing Sakura knew, she was watching him dodge as her mother actually swung at him while he tried to get his clothes back on and escape, earning a shocked gasp from the pink haired girl.

And the things she had called him! Demon, Monster- Sakura had known her mother was protective of her, but that didn't mean she was prepared for the older woman to attack a boy just for sleeping with her, not to that degree. Sure, attacking him with the frying pan had…not been all that surprising if she was being honest, nor her being angry, but the degree of her anger, the hate she had seen in her eyes was almost frightening.

She'd been all but helpless to watch Naruto jump from the bed and scramble for his clothing. He'd tried to reason with her, at least that's what Sakura had guessed because he hardy got a single word out the entire time. All the while doing his best to avoid the brandished weapon.

Pale bottom out for the world to see, he'd just managed to secure his pants when he was forced out the room. Wrapping herself in her own blanket, she'd watched, wide eyed as he was sent sprawling out onto the street.

It was mortifying, like something you would see out of an old film. She'd hardly been able to watch him take off down the street before her own temper had finally awoken, a deep and slow burning coal bed of anger that cooked even now just at the thought of it all.

Naturally Mebuki had then turned her attention on her, sans cookware, thankfully. Still, buck naked, and sorer than she'd ever remembered feeling, the last thing wanted was to be screamed at by her own mother.

Tell her what to do? She was a _grown woman_. In more ways than one now thanks to Naruto. Who she dated and what she did with them was entirely up to her, thank you very much. And if her parents had a problem with that, well that was just too bad because it came with the Hitai-ate.

Upon graduating, that headband granted her the same legal rights and protections as any adult of majority. She could drink as much as she wanted, buy enough cigarettes to burn down the village, and yes, she could have sex with whoever she wanted, however she wanted, as often as she wanted so long as they too were a legal consenting adult.

Sakura forced her thoughts back to the present.

"Sunset Bouquet... shampoos and Sweet Lilac body wash," he struggled to recite the items she'd requested. "Imported from Grass country, not the Konoha knock offs." Surprised, despite herself, Sakura couldn't help but feel touched that he actually went through all the trouble just because she'd asked him too. Considering what he was asking of her she knew she shouldn't be, but it wasn't everyday someone paid that much attention to her wants.

"Well… I guess I can waste an hour two," in the most begrudged tone she could manage, Sakura's expression belayed her reluctance as thoughts of their afternoon did the worst things to her body. Such a state was only made worse when, without warning, Naruto saw fit to wrap his arms around her in celebration.

Arms around her waist, he looked as though someone had just given him the Hokage's hat itself. Impossibly happy, just because of her. Sakura could only return the gesture, her thin arms settling on his back.

Seriously, what an idiot.

Finishing their hug, the two began to make their way back to Naruto's apartment. The stroll was slow and easy paced, neither of them in any hurry. Despite being the shorter of the two, Naruto held no qualms about keeping an arm wrapped around his girlfriend, as if proudly proclaiming to the village, 'look who I got!' Sakura had, at first, been annoyed at the blond constantly clinging to her. But he'd somehow managed to talk her into it, and now she was resigned to put up with the gesture, if only because it made him so happy.

That and it felt nice to be treasured by someone for a change.

Naruto _appreciated_ her. Of all the bad things she could say about him, and there were plenty, he honestly and truly valued her above all else. He might not be the most handsome, or the most skilled, but when she was with him, Sakura knew she never had to second guess or doubt herself. And for a girl whose life had been nothing but insecurity up until this point that was worth more than even Sasuke.

Feeling his comfortable warmth on her shoulder, Sakura allowed herself to rest against the young man just a bit more.

Naruto filled the silence of their journey with a story of yet another prank. Sakura didn't care for them much, but it was better than silence. Plus, some of them had been kind of funny. Not to mention slightly impressive. Stealing and decorating the village in Hyuga underwear? How did he even manage that?

Lost in their company with one another, the long stares of the general population went mostly unnoticed. That is, until a certain blonde haired kunoichi happened upon the scene, her two teammates reluctantly dragged along.

Ino felt her eyes widen at the sight of her one time friend and lifelong rival in the arms of a boy. Closer inspection revealed the boy to be none other than their class clown, making her shock even more pronounced.

Much like team seven their daily mission had just ended, just as mind numbing and monotonous as every other D rank in the village. Free to do as they pleased for the remainder of the day, it had been Ino's idea to drag her two teammates along, if only because there was nothing else to do. Most of her friends in the academy failing to graduate limited her options severely, especially since the few that were willing to sit through another year of the academy were resentful of her on their best days.

But that was okay, because even if her teammates were a fatty and lazy bum, they were better than nothing. Usually.

Idiots aside, Sakura's current position next to her own teammate stopped her in her tracks. And she quickly found her mind returning to that night. The one she'd done her very best to block from every corner of her mind. And considering her family, she actually _could_ do that.

The alley, Sakura walking out of it covered in… something. Only to then be followed after by Naruto, his pants still unbuttoned and around his ankles. The distinct possibilities were not lost on young woman. After all, she'd been reading every issue of Kunoichi Weekly since she'd entered the academy, and like her peers she had taken the required seduction courses. But for it to be _Sakura_ , and with _Naruto!_ She'd assumed it be a bazaar hallucination. Or stress induced psychosis. Asuma's training schedule certainly made it possible with the god awful morning hours he had them up at. But now… well she wasn't sure what to think.

"You guys are seeing this too, right?" Shock, disgust, and awe bled from her words. Shikamaru, unusually alert, stared after the pair as they walked by, Sakura's pink head resting comfortably against her teammates shoulder.

"Looks like Naruto finally wore her down," he shrugged his shoulders, easily getting over the event. "Good for him."

"What the hell!" she answered, as if them being together was in some way an insult to her. "If forehead was going to settle for _Naruto_ of all people, then why the heck did she get to team up with Sasuke-kun? Talk about a freaking waste!" Neither of the boys bothered to comment, already more than used to her reluctance at being paired with them.

"This has to be a ploy, right? Like, she's trying to make him jealous?" It was the only reason she could come up. "Ugh! That is low, even for her." Then turning back on the two boys, her fists clenched. "Come on; time to have a word with little miss snake in the grass." She stomped off after the couple, not bothering to look back at the frowning boys. Neither was very excited at the prospect of getting dragged into more of Ino's drama, but then they also knew better than to walk off without her 'permission'.

"This isn't going to end well Shikamaru," Choji was the first to speak up, a conflicted expression furling his brow. His quiet friend just nodded his head.

"Women are involved," was his answer, a long and tired sigh of 'troublesome' following soon after. "Of course it won't." Nevertheless, the two soon found themselves following after their teammate, resigned to the fact they were going to get involved.

Sakura walked with her boyfriend, unaware of the approaching blonde. At the moment her brow was raised at the story he is telling. Naruto, obliviously continued as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever said. "-should have seen it Sakura-chan. The whole village was chasing me! I mean, I've gotten pretty good at riling people up, but making the Hokage's tower look like a giant-!" He found himself cut off, the curvy and supple frame of a young woman appearing out of nowhere to block their path.

"Okay forehead, what's your game!" Sakura stopped, her mind reeling from the somewhat crude tale her boyfriend was telling her to the suddenly irate blonde standing in their path. Narrowing her eyes, her answer was almost instinctual as it flew out.

"None of your business pig! Who let you out of your pen?" Smirking to herself, it was only after she felt the body pressed up against hers shift that she remembered the position she was in, as well as with who. Eyes wide, she immediately attempted to put some space between her and Naruto, but his hand on her hip kept her from escaping.

Truthfully, she'd been expecting this. As ashamed as she was to admit it, one of the very first things she'd considered when dating the blond was how her rival was going to react. Though that didn't mean she was prepared. Ino was going to rip her to shreds all because of Naruto. She tried to put on a brave face but she might as well have opened an artery in a shark tank.

The remaining members of team six made their way to the gathering. Much less emotional than their female companion, they offered a simple wave towards their one time friend. "Sup Naruto? Good job finally landing Sakura," Choji congratulated.

"Good luck," was Shikamaru's advice. He would need it.

"Thanks!" was his overly energetic reply, to which Sakura flinched. Eyes trailing back to her rival, she just sighed, knowing that hiding it from her would be impossible at this point. And rather than run away, like her every fiber craved, she held up her chin and stared the other girl in the eye.

This had not been the expected reaction, and Ino found herself glaring all the more for it.

"You're dating Naruto? Seriously?" Ino's abhorrence was clear in both tone and posture. Which only served to rile Sakura up further. Sure, Naruto was Naruto, but she was the only one that got to insult him like that.

"He's better than anyone _you've_ managed to date," she shot back, both confirming their relationship and even praising him. The effect immediately brought a smile to Naruto's face, who up until this point had been mostly confused by what was going on.

"Thanks Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed. Her glare turned on him now.

"Shut up, Naruto." He shut up.

"Oh my god, you're _serious_ ," Ino balked. "I thought he was blackmailing you. Or at the very least I'd thought you lost a bet or something. I was half willing to help spring you out." She shook her head in awe.

"And just so you know, I could easily get a man five times what you settled for if I wasn't saving myself for Sasuke-kun. What's the matter, he finally tell you he preferred a girl with an actual figure?" She ran her hands down her breasts and round backside accentuated in the tight bandages wrapped around her full limbs. While young and still growing, she still boasted much more than Sakura's more meager curves.

Flushing bright red, Sakura looked ready to erupt at the blonde, another of their notorious fights seemingly in the making. But something about the blonde's comments failed to tweak the particular nerve it usually throttled. Naruto's arm still weighed on her hip, warm and solid, _real_ and physical like a reminder. She found herself actually glad she hadn't pulled away.

She wasn't ugly, she was a strong, sexy, desired young women and nothing Ino could say would change that. Being with Naruto had its issues, but it also had a number of benefits she hadn't realized until she actually spent time with him.

Seeing Ino squeeze her breasts together usually filled her with envy and shame over her lack of development, but all it did now was remind her of all the times Naruto had squeezed, held and nuzzled them. Even the blonde drawing her fingers over the impressive swell of her hips failed to rile her up, little chance it could when she remembered all the times her boyfriend had felt up her own backside, cupping it, holding it tight in his firm grip.

The blonde could grope, squeeze, cup and tease her body as much as she wanted, it didn't change the fact that the only hands that ever had were _her own_. Sakura knew the touch of a _man_ , something her rival had yet to enjoy.

Ino smirked to herself seeing the familiar vein in her rival's bulbous forehead begin to throb. That was the sign that she'd won. Arms crossed and seemingly at ease, in truth she was well prepared for the punch that was about to be thrown at her beautiful face. Which is why, when it didn't come, her haughty expression slipped- confusion taking over.

"What's the matter billboard brow? Not even gonna try to put up a fight?" Ino struggled to maintain the same level of pride she'd come in with, but her ex-friend's lack of response was offsetting. Sakura, who was coolly glaring at the girl, felt a fist curl at her side. But this time, she didn't need it.

"You're right." The words were so shocking Ino's mouth actually dropped. But Sakura wasn't even close to finished. "Whatever Sasuke is looking for, I don't have it. And honestly? I don't think I ever will. He's not dark and mysterious, he isn't some wounded prince waiting for the power of love to heal his heart, and he isn't any of the things we used to dream about back at the academy."

Her expression twisted, and her lips pinching as though she were struggling to get the next words out. "He… He's just an asshole. And if you actually spent any time with him that wasn't from across the room or hiding in bushes you might see that for yourself some time." This time it was Sakura's turn to smirk.

The constant care and reinforcement of Naruto's attention had done quite a bit in the past weeks to show her how silly she had been. For a girl like her, who grew up without the stability of a good friendship base for support it was easy to fool herself into thinking his cold shoulders and glares were a kind of affection.

But since getting with Naruto, she had come to know what it meant to actually be treated right. So, as much as a part of her questioned what could have been, the logical side of her, the one she knew was right, could finally see that Sasuke Uchiha really was a stuck up and spoiled bastard.

Back straightening, for the first time Sakura felt… like she wasn't in second place. Perhaps for the first time, she understood what it was like to have to look back at her friend instead of struggling to keep up. And you know what? It felt good.

"Naruto-kun might be loud, annoying, and an idiot, but I never have to worry about him treating me any worse than I deserve. He doesn't have to tell me I'm beautiful because that's the way he makes me feel." And that shut up anything Ino might have been prepared to say.

Ino blinked at her one time friend, a surprising bubble of anger swelling in her chest. What the hell was this? Who was this person? Because it sure wasn't the loser she remembered. If anything, it felt like she was looking down on _her_. And that was unacceptable.

"Fine!" Ino barked, the rage catching her off guard for the first time ever. "Then I guess you won't mind if I steal Sasuke-kun for myself! It should be more than easy without _you_ getting in my way anymore. Not that you were ever anything to worry about in the first place." But Sakura didn't react, sadness more than anything else showing in her eyes. Finally she just sighed.

"Sure Ino, go for it. I'll even be your maid of honor if you'll let me." And do you know what Sakura did then? She smiled an honest to God happy smile that shook her rival to her bones. Because she actually meant it.

Naruto stared between the two, fully aware that he had no part to play. Perhaps his smartest move ever, he stayed silent and waited until Sakura needed him.

Her green eyes turned to him and he gave a nervous smile. One she returned in full force in a surprising display of affection. He felt her urge him forward and he followed without complaint. Soon the two of them returned to their earlier pace, walking past the other girl as though she wasn't even there.

Sakura maintained her calm expression and persona, all the while inside she could feel another part of herself punch the air in triumph, the words, **"Fuck yeah!"** cheered to the high heavens. But she managed to keep it in check, up until she and her boyfriend disappeared into the growing evening crowd. Leaving the rival genin behind to stir in her own juices.

Ino's body shook, frozen by her own rage as the words of her rival cycled through her brain. ' _Where the hell did she get off acting so high and mighty? Does she think that makes her better than me? That, just because she acted all cool, that she is anything more than a flat chested billboard brow?'_ Her teeth grinded and she felt the rage in her burn that much hotter because she knew, even if it was only this one instance, she had lost.

Shikamaru gave his teammate a cautious, side long glance. There were very few time's he'd seen the girl get this worked up, and none of them ever resulted in anything positive. Choji's thoughts were along the same line, the urge for snacking never stronger than when he knew trouble was just on the horizon. The bag of chips in his left leg pouch crinkled as he reached for its salty sanctuary.

"It's a trick." Ino's remark came out short and sharp. Both boys couldn't help but finch just by its tone.

When Ino's face lifted, it was etched in an expression of deep suspicion. "It has to be. There's no way Sakura would ever get with _anyone_ over Sasuke-kun, no way!" her lips pinched in a thin line.

"I… don't know," Shikamaru offered. "I mean, she seemed pretty serious." _Please let this just end here. Please_. But when had he ever been that lucky?

"She's lying!" the blonde insisted vehemently. And this time she turned to glare at the boys directly. Attention nether of them wanted. "I'm telling you, it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Well, what are you gonna do about it?" Choji, hesitantly squeaked. The blonde just smirked, the kind that no man wanted to see.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. You on the other hand only have one very simple job." To which Shikamaru sighed, a skyward glance casting his longing of a quiet afternoon towards the heavens where it would now be laid to rest.

"What a pain…" he didn't know the half of it.

Back with the lovely couple, they were making their way up the stairs to Naruto's apartment when Sakura's itching displeasure finally reached its peak.

Opening the door, Sakura stormed in to the place actually feeling relieved for its comfort. Little by little over the past two weeks she'd been finding herself growing more at home in the once intimidating living space. But right now, it felt like an oasis.

Naruto meanwhile watched his girlfriend with a different kind of worry. She'd been quite ever since they'd run into her former friend and he wasn't actually sure how to make things better. To him, losing a friend seemed like the worst thing in the world. People you cared about, and who cared about you? That didn't happen every day, and the ones you had should be clung to for dear life.

Dealing with Ino never failed to bring up old feelings and memories of pain and insecurity. Normally it was easy to just set them aside or bury them under distractions but at the moment she found her heart weighed down by the image of a little blonde girl offering her flowers. But the biting claws of her sneering expression and harsh words quickly tore through that image. And she felt her emotions rising all over again.

"Hey, Sakura-chan?" she turned to see Naruto still standing in the doorway, anxiety pulling at his normally carefree smile. "Are you okay?" Sakura stopped her pacing to turn and look at his empathetic gesture. And she found herself smiling.

No, she shouldn't let Ino do this to her. She shouldn't let the other girl ruin what was going to be a perfectly enjoyable evening with her boyfriend. Even one that was as perverted as hers. Though, the way their relationship had been going so far, Sakura had to admit she might be a bit of a pervert as well. New thoughts taking the place of old, the now familiar tingle of anticipation for what was about to occur came to life between her legs. Summoning the first spots of warm moisture that she could already feel wet her sex.

What was he doing to her? She shook her head.

Arms crossed, her eyes trailed away in a disinterested expression. "Well? We're here for a reason aren't we?" Naruto blinked, something close to his old expression returning. Sakura could see this, and fought to keep the small smile she could feel surfacing off her face. "I don't have all night."

Naruto answered the only way he knew, through actions.

In a matter of seconds he was pulling her towards his bed, neatly made just as she'd requested, and started kissing her as soon as they were both settled. Sitting down, their height difference wasn't nearly so prominent and Sakura enjoyed that especially girly flutter in her stomach that seemed to appear whenever she was braced against his solid form. That sensation spread throughout her petit frame as soon as he laid her back onto the bed, his warmth and the security it offered bracing above her to maintain that contact.

Their activities continued as both felt the mood grow increasingly hot and humid. Soon enough Naruto's eyesore of a jacket was tossed to the floor while the zipper holding her dress closed had been pulled down to her waist. One hand under her bra and the other braced above her head, Naruto surrounded her in a way she found herself craving far too much for her own good.

In just two weeks he'd gotten much better at kissing. A lot better at everything really, they both had. Of course with all the practice they had been getting, it would hard to imagine them not improving. Naruto was still brash and rushed things along, always in a hurry to feel her bare skin under his touch, that hadn't changed. What had however, was the way he touched her and where.

Their class often made fun of him for being on the dumb side, but she had found Naruto to be a very fast learner, and when he figured something out he would never forget it. Like how the small of her back was especially sensitive, or the way her legs would turn to jelly when he traced up the backs of her thighs. And when he kissed her…

Sakura _liked_ the way he kissed her quite a bit. She liked the way he touched her as well, soft and gentle, like she was something precious or fierce and protective like she was his greatest treasure. But it was the way his mouth seemed to worship her every inch, even if his lips were a little dry at times, and even though the thought of baring her breasts still sent a shot of fear up her spine, she liked this time with him. She even found herself thinking about it when they weren't together. Her heart still longed for the fairy tale dream but as far as reality went, this wasn't half bad.

For her part, Sakura learned that the one thing Naruto enjoyed almost as much as touching her skin, was to hear the sounds she made while tending to her body. It was embarrassing, terribly, horribly, utterly embarrassing. Confidence was something she lacked at the best of times under the best of circumstances, and that was doubly so for her body. But the way his entire body would purr at hearing her groan, how his hands would become heated and grip at her curves when she mewled, and the shuddering breath he released when she moaned made her heart soar and her body hum as he would redouble his efforts to hear more.

It wasn't long before Sakura was out of her dress, it along with her bra in a small pile at the foot of the bed. The soft pink tips of her now uncovered breasts pressed against Naruto's firm toned pecs just as he always enjoyed. Puckered and tight, they continued to betray her no matter how stubbornly she tried to refuse any pleasure in the act. It just wasn't ladylike. That being said, the current humidity in her underwear ruined that façade as fast as it had been conjured. And even as what had become routine for them came around, the throbbing in her core did little to calm down.

Sakura sighed, disentangling herself out from under him. Naruto allowed her to escape with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm, at least she thought so. Then again, considering he knew all too well what was about to happen it would be far stranger if he _weren't_ smiling like a damn fool. Nevertheless, she'd accepted the act as a necessary evil. One she knew she would regret later if she let it go neglected. That was what she told herself as she sank to the floor by the edge of the bed, Naruto's lap now directly before her.

Her hand reached for a nearby box of tissues kept on the bedside table. After collecting three sheets her hands started doing away with the last of the blond's clothing. Pants unbuttoned and underwear pulled taut, the full length of his erection sprang free, mere inches from her face. Her eyes narrowed, and she made the effort to appear exasperated. Even though the sight of his appendage now sent a thrill through her young body. Seeing it so big and swollen, and knowing she was the reason never failed to boost her self-esteem.

Without him even asking, her lips settled around his tip, the gentle suction drawing him deeper into the warm wetness of her passage while her tongue lathered whatever it touched. Naruto, still laid out against the bed was helpless but to groan in pleasure. One that tickled his partner in amusement, the edges of her mouth rose around his girth in a smile of self-satisfaction.

True, it was still disgusting, and yes, she would prefer not to do it. But she had to admit, there was a certain amount of power that came with the chore. If only for this part, _she_ was in absolute control. She dictated his pleasure, how much to give and how much to hold back. Her devious little tongue had picked up enough of his tells to know how to end it quickly if need be. He was still a teenage boy after all. But tonight, after dealing with Ino and her bullshit… well, she was feeling generous.

With a suck and a pop, she withdrew his warm wet member from her lips to tap it against her tongue. Repeating this several times, with one hand along the bottom she pushed it up against him. Kissing the tip, she then worked her way down, licking the sensitive underside of his cock with short swipes of her tongue, bathing it from side to side in quick strokes until she reached his balls. Again her lips puckered together, this time with long deliberate strokes like she was licking a popsicle until she once again reached his swollen crown.

Pulling the twitching shaft down she continued, running her tongue across the top to its base, then repeated the act for both sides until he was nice and wet. With this done she returned to the tip and ran her tongue over his slit as she once more took him in, his manhood delightfully squeezed by her lips as she worked her mouth down his shaft.

Sakura serviced him for a good fifteen minutes, her stretched jaw and lapping tongue slurping every few attempts to take him deeper. Naruto, always the one to offer encouragement, applauded her efforts with a chorus of moans and grunts, each one leaving his lips a little tighter than the last. Until, finally, his hand balled the material of his blanket into his fist- immediately catching the pinkette's attention.

With practiced ease, she pulled her lips off his throbbing erection, the aforementioned tissues taking her place while her hand continued to work him to completion. Like this, the largest of his load was spent into the paper, rather than her mouth or underwear. And considering the alternative, Sakura much preferred the easy cleanup than to get another taste of this thick, salted fluid.

Naruto lay gasping on the bed, the first of his releases well and truly earned. Despite his seeming lethargy, the blunt force of his arousal stood as turgid as ever, the steady pounding of his heart mimicked in the thick veins running up along its side. Sakura, took one look at the insatiable monster that was his libido and sighed.

Naruto recovered quickly, as he always does, and soon Sakura was back on the bed, her bike shorts and panties a distant memory as they sailed across the room. Still embarrassing, her heart thundered when her partner parted her thighs, small inner lips just peeking out from between the plump outer mound. Naruto took in the sight with glee, his excitement the same as if it were his very first time all over again. The sight once again burned in his memory he crawled his way up her body, kissing her from her pelvis up her tummy, then up between the valley of her breasts to her collar, to her neck, before finally once again claiming her lips.

They continued kissing for some time, enjoying the way their now naked bodies pressed firmly against one another as their passion grew. Naruto of course took his time touching her most delicate of places, preparing it for his eventual insertion.

This was almost entirely unnecessary, and the events leading up to now had supplied her with an acceptable level of arousal. Still, he enjoyed the slick feeling of her lower lips rubbing against his fingers, and Sakura enjoyed his attentions even if they still embarrassed her. It especially delighted the girl to feel his finger brush along the hooded nub above her entrance, its throbbing and incessant swelling causing no end to her dwindling IQ. Her hips twitched each time, the maturing swell of her bum lifting off the bed in that hot second.

She'd reward him each time, her hands pulling him harder as they kissed, the motions of her lips growing fiercer as her breath grew hotter. The length of his tongue now filed every corner of her mouth and she relished in the sensation, her tiny pink muscle tingling from the affection. Soon, she was ready, her thighs parting he rose up on his knees positioning his aching spear for her core without a glance.

No longer did he need her guidance to find his way in. His blunt tip poised before her glistening womanhood, Sakura was allowed to lay back and wait anxiously for the eventual sensation of his enflamed head pressing against her defenses. Breaking through with ease, a long, soft gasp escaped as it did every time she experienced him filling her body. And just as she did every time, she angled her hips towards him, easing the entry. There was no pain anymore, simply the incredibly feminine thrill of having something inside her that she squeezed as it filled her to the brim. Just from this much, a rush of sensation arced up both of their spines.

Their love making was slow. As accustomed as they were becoming with each other's bodies, they were still young, and cautious.

Naruto's body rocked against the soft bed of Sakura's welcoming embrace. And she responded in kind, the quick and jerky movements of her lower body doing their best to meet his thrusts. Her hands curled around his shoulders, small but growing broader with each day. And she savored the rush she felt each time his thickness fit its entirety in her depths.

Before sex, she'd marveled even being able to fit a single finger. Now those thoughts about sex and love making seemed nothing but childish to the maturing creature that blossomed under the radiant warmth of Naruto's affection.

The sounds between them were wet and lewd, and everything Sakura knew she should feel embarrassed about. But how could she hate such a thing when every slap of his hips brought with it a rush of mind numbing tingles? How could she hate the sound of Naruto's moans when she took solace from the fact that she was responsible? Sex, it was gross and sweaty, but it was also incredible and beautiful in its own way. And to her growing horror, she found herself enjoying it more and more each day.

Her eventual release came and went with all the fanfare of a passing car.

Muscles clenched and breathing stopped. The lights behind her eyes seemed to flicker on and off in a dazzling display. She held on for dear life as Naruto's thrusting continued uninterrupted, her moment singular in the fact that it would be another full five minutes before he joined her. The added sensitivity did little for the small amount of control she had over her own voice.

Despite the fondness she begun to harbor for their activity, she still struggled with own cries of pleasure. Naruto, it seemed, was dead set on forcing each and every groan and shrike from her body.

Speeding up, his approaching release forced her to endure the increased pounding from his stronger body. The restrained tension in his arms showing just how much he was holding back even when the last of his will evaporated. Another few quick thrusts and he was finished, the second burst of his seed flooding her body and filling her with a kind of lightheaded need.

Feeling Naruto release inside of her never failed to bring its own mix and match of conflicting emotions. Mostly due to the fact that it was wet, and sticky and got everywhere, but she couldn't find it in her to tell him to do it anywhere else. In that moment, he always held her so close to him; almost crushingly so. Stifling and overwhelmingly warm, she cherished that moment because right then and there she knew she was his entire world. And nothing, not even the title of Hokage could replace her.

Following Naruto's release, his erection never failed to retain its hardness. But Sakura, exhausted and slightly sore from the experience pushed him off from her. Because of her early attention, and only because of it, Naruto's appetite was satiated enough that he pulled out of her without argument. The one time she'd thought to skip the chore had nearly done her in, her own stamina still lacking in the ways of the bedroom.

Accepting the rejecting amicably, his arm settled around her middle, where his stew still cooked, and he aligned himself against her back. Snuggling into the embrace, Sakura would finally allow herself to smile.

Their round of sex finished, the two held each other in silence as they had done the time before, and the time before that. And just as they would do tomorrow, her parents willing. It was a lustful, complicated, begrudging relationship. But it was theirs. And neither could imagine it being any other way.

As the minutes ticked by, the sweat, stress and strain of the day would take its toll and the two fell into a comfortable, light slumber. Never sleeping past dusk, by the time Sakura's eyes fluttered open the sun had already begun to set, the time left for her to enjoy being with him always seeming so short. But that much more precious because of it.

She closed her eyes, the warmth of his bed on her naked body as close to heaven as she would ever get in this world. Even more, the stupidly large amount of cum her lummox of a boyfriend had pumped into her was now leaking out. A strange, if not disturbing sensation. She could feel a growing wet spot directly under her pert rear, but that only served to remind her of the second chore she'd grown used to suffering through.

A small furl of concentration wrinkled her brow. Quickly and deftly her hands rose and fingers flashed through a quick series of hands signs. Rat, hare and snake, then to her delight, Sakura watched in growing pleasure at the sight of her hands becoming enveloped in a light green glow. Its brilliance enough to rouse even Naruto who blinked awake to the sight of his girlfriend's bared breasts and pinched features.

He didn't say anything, blue eyes mesmerized by the magic like implement of chakra as Sakura placed her hand against her stomach. Just above her womb, she could already feel the strange sensation of the power entering her body sterilizing all the tiny tadpoles currently seeking to make her a mother.

Ha! No thank you.

"You're getting really good at that," Naruto mumbled, still half asleep. Sakura still glowed from the compliment, mostly because she knew it was true.

Going to the hospital she'd been scared out of her mind at the prospect of asking for help with contraception. But to her surprise, the nurses hardly even blinked at her request, one even going so far as to personally instruct her on the hand signs and theory. Normally civilian women swallowed a pill to ward off pregnancy. But as a ninja, those pills were somewhat less effective thanks to excess chakra and body chemistry resistance, not to mention she might not always have them on hand. Once she reached chunin rank there were special seals she could purchase but for now this was what they recommended for girls like her who were still growing.

It was easy enough that most girls who had basic chakra control could pick it up within a week or two. Sakura meanwhile had been successful after only a few hours. It still took some doing to get it to work on the first try, but each day it became easier.

"The nurses offered to teach me a few new techniques the last time I dropped by," she hummed in response. Eyes transfixed on her stomach, she watched her palm while rubbing it in slow circles. "Just small stuff like first aid, cuts and bruises, but I was thinking about asking Kakashi-sensei if there was a way for me to learn even more."

For the longest time, it seemed like all she was good for was reading books and studying. But with medical jutsu it had shocked her how easily she'd been able to pick it up. For the first time she really thought about what she was going to do with her career rather than what would impress Sasuke. And something about healing rather than hurting people filled her with a special kind of pride. She wasn't stupid, she knew what her career would demand of her in the future, but if she specialized in something important and could become a med-nin, it reduced the chances of how often if ever she might have to take another's life.

"The way you and Sasuke fight, I'm sure you're going to need someone to keep you both from falling apart." Naruto smiled shamelessly, but remained silent. Instead choosing to wait and watch until the jutsu came to an end.

The light petered out and Sakura was satisfied that the evening wouldn't lead to any surprises nine months down the road. Feeling the chakra leave her body, her already limited pool of energy felt drained and she was helpless but to turn in towards her lover and pressed her face against his chest. Naruto answered in kind, eyelids dropping shut as his hand moved to caress the wayward nest of tangled pink hair.

"You wanna shower while I get a clone to cook dinner?" he asked with a barely suppressed yawn.

A warm shower and meal after an afternoon of hot sex? A girl could get use to this. In fact, she was. To the point that the begrudging acceptance that had started their relationship had changed to something… warmer. She didn't love Naruto, not yet anyway. But it was that 'yet' that seemed open to so many doors for the future.

Just as sleepy, she turned around to nod in his chest, the familiar aches and pains of her blossomed womanhood becoming apparent. But it was a good hurt, the same you would enjoy after a particularly good workout or jog. Her inner muscles would feel better after her bath as soon as she got home. But for now a shower would have to do.

"Don't look," and that was her only warning before crawling over his body and out from the safety of his sheets. Despite having made love multiple times, and in broad daylight, she still felt the need to enforce the small amount of modesty.

Naked, she went around the room gathering the clothing Naruto had so carelessly tossed about. True to his word, Naruto's eyes remained begrudgingly shut- his lesson more than learned after the first time he'd tried to sneak a peek. He waited until the familiar sound of his bathroom door opened, and then closed, signaling that it was safe for him to open his eyes.

Getting up from bed, Naruto's own nudity was still extremely apparent and dangling between his legs. A pair of boxers was all he bothered with before his fingers performed the familiar cross hand sign, a small displacement of air sending smoke throughout the small room as another 'him' was born.

A wink and a salute was all he needed to send the clone off towards his job, a salad and or fish or whatever Sakura had told him to get. He would have preferred a two minute cup of his steamy instant ramen, but then keeping Sakura happy was a small price to pay. Until then, he was content to enjoy the warm atmosphere of his once lonely home.

When Naruto used his power on Sakura, he never imagined this was how his relationship would be. It was even better. Despite how it might have started, no matter what methods he might have had to use, he was happy. Possibly for the first time in his young life. And even better, he was pretty sure Sakura was too. At least he was doing his best to make that happen. He might need to use his powers every now and then, but even when that happened it was rarely about anything as bad as the first time.

Did he regret using his power? No, no this was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. Though… it did beg the question of what was next. After all, if it could get him Sakura, there was no limit to what he could do. But it was that very daunting thought that had stopped him from venturing beyond what he'd already started.

But that was an issue for another day. Tonight, he would get to actually sit down and have dinner with a person he loved. A simple pleasure for most everyone else in the world. But for him, it was a dream come true.

In the shower, Sakura basked in the warm spray. Face tilted back and pink hair painted across her back, the water washed away the sweat and stress of a long day, and she welcomed its peace. The familiar bottles of her shampoo and body wash certainly didn't hurt.

After feeding a generous amount into her palms, she began to lather the suds all along her luxurious strands. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but sigh, knowing how long it would take to dry the ridiculous amount of hair. More often than not, she found herself cursing it. Sure it was beautiful and her hair was easily her favorite feature, but it was just a pain to take care of.

' _I wonder if Naruto-kun likes short hair…'_ the thought seemed to come from nowhere, but she found herself entertaining it nevertheless. She'd grown it out for Sasuke, for all the help that did. Now that she wasn't chasing after him maybe she could finally consider what _she_ wanted.

Soap and water caressed her body all the way to the drain. Idly running her hands along her body, the still sensitive surface of her breasts tinged as she brushed along their budding curves. If only her thoughts could have stayed on her boyfriend, she might not feel the discontent that was settling in her stomach. But it seemed even the orgasmic actives of her boyfriend's erection wasn't enough to completely clean the taste of Ino from her pallet.

Arm braced on the side of the shower, she felt her heart ache over what had happened. This wasn't how she thought it would feel finally getting out of Ino's shadow. She'd thought she would feel victorious, triumphant, all the wonderful excitement that contrasted the usual shame of defeat. But she was just sad.

Loosing Ino was easily one of the biggest regrets of her young life. When a boy got between them, one that they believed they both loved, there seemed like few other options. But now, she couldn't help but wonder if there had been another path they could have walked.

Deep down she still cared about the little blonde girl that had put flowers in her hair. Who cared enough to pick her up when she fell down, and to defend her when it seemed like every other child on the playground just wanted to see her cry.

Did she still exist? Had she ever existed in the first place? Had she...changed? Become what she was now? Or was this just who she always had been deep down?

These thoughts and doubts continued to circle through her mind. She let the rest of the soap clear away before finally turning off the water, her naked form stepping from the shower and into the nearest towel.

The faded burgundy material wrapped around her head in a vain attempt at drying the long pink strands. She patted down the rest of her body before reaching for her clothes. Only to recoil at the stale sweat reeking from an afternoon of jumping through the forest. The prospect of covering herself in the same filth she'd just washed away wasn't a pleasant one. Thankfully, an idea sprang to mind that might allow for a small respite from the unpleasantness.

Carful to re-don her panties, the rest were left behind as she went in search of the blond's closet. Towels still firmly wrapped around her, she tucked her head out from the bathroom, spotting the foldable door she sought just across the room. Nearby, Naruto looked to be entertaining himself with one of his scrolls.

She rolled her eyes. Meanwhile, the heavenly scent of salmon wafted from the kitchen. Her stomach roared hungrily but first things first.

Making a dash for the closet, her footsteps thumped in quick succession across the wooden floor. Naruto barely had the chance to look up before the girl had claimed one of his shirts, the material just big enough to settle over her thighs. She might flash him every now and then, but the fabric was clean and smelled faintly of the scent she was growing to enjoy.

Naruto blinked at her, seemingly absorbed in the sight of Sakura dressed in one of his shirts. She fidgeted under the attention, before turning a haughty snub his way. "I'm your girlfriend, and that means I'm entitled to whatever's in your closet." That made Naruto's eyes widen even further, though not in a way that showed displeasure.

A goofy smile made its way onto his face, scroll forgotten as he lingered on the exposed pink skin of her long legs. "Fine by me," he shrugged, and continued staring. Sakura smiled despite herself, toes wiggling as she gave the boy a view he enjoyed. This all ended when the other Naruto in the kitchen called out it was time to eat.

The two filed into the kitchen, hunger growling from their bellies, Sakura especially perked up at the sight of one of her favorite dishes, but served on real plates, with real cups, and chopsticks that weren't in Ichiraku wrappers.

Compared to the styrofoam cup she'd been presented the first time she'd stayed over, this was by far the largest improvement she'd been able to instill in the blond. She made sure to give him an approving nod, to which he grinned brightly.

The sun was almost set by now. If she were thinking rationally she knew she should already be halfway home if she didn't want her parents on her case about where she'd been. But she wasn't going to let them get in the way of her date, if that is what this could be called. True, it was dinner, but only after they'd spent an hour having sex and sleeping together.

It certainly wasn't how the fairy tales she'd grown up reading went. But she was still going to enjoy it.

The two sat at the table, both too hungry to even think about conversation. It was his first time cooking fish, but the recipe book he'd bought had been easy enough to follow. He'd even practiced. Which, thank god he'd been smart enough not to wing it. And if the rate at which Sakura was inhaling her food was anything to go by, he knew he'd done an okay job.

Naruto ate his own meal with markedly less enthusiasm. Fish wasn't really his favorite, but he'd gone hungry enough to know better than to turn away food. Soon enough both plates were empty, Sakura finishing her last bite with almost painful regret.

"Here Sakura-chan, have another!" Nearby, he picked up the covered plate that had another prepared just waiting to be eaten. Sakura stared at it with the longing usually reserved for the bedroom, but forced herself to put on a polite smile.

"N-No. I shouldn't. I've probably had more than enough." And wasn't that true. In her haste, she hadn't even thought to stop and consider the calories she would be ingesting. Before she would have stopped herself at half of what she'd just devoured. But now sitting in her stomach, it was impossible not to feel the uncomfortable weight. Like a stone it just sat there, slowly leaking its pounds to her hips and thighs.

"But I made extra just for you," Naruto frowned, the familiar squint taking over as he considered what the problem was. "Did I cook it wrong?" he finally had to ask. Sure, she'd eaten quickly enough, but then hunger could do a lot to a person. He knew from experience.

"No!" she immediately replied with more than enough force to insure there was no chance he could think such a thing. As coolly as she'd accepted his efforts, the last thing she wanted was for him to think she wasn't appreciative. "No it was delicious, really." This left Naruto scratching his head.

"If it tastes good and you're still hungry then what's the problem?" Sakura had to stop from rolling her eyes. ' _Ugh, honestly, Naruto-kun. Sometimes you're such a boy._ '

"Just because boys can eat whatever they want and never get fat doesn't mean everyone's so lucky. Girl's need to consider their figure." The same figure Naruto seemed to enjoy so much. He might be head over heels for her now, but let's see how long that lasts when she's big as a whale.

Naruto continued to stare at her, almost even more confused. "I mean, I don't really get it but if you're worried about me, don't be. Sakura-chan is Sakura-chan, no matter what she looks like," he grinned at her, seemingly honest in his declaration. The effect was as startling as it was touching.

"Besides, I'd rather see you happy than hungry. I've been there. Trust me, it _sucks_." This time it was Sakura's turn to be confused, but she banished the words as quickly as they'd come. Humbly accepting the food onto her plate. Naruto even joined her, taking the last piece for himself if only for encouragement.

She stared at the piece of cooked fish with trepidation. Chopsticks in hand, she could feel her conscience screaming at her to just walk away while she could still fit through the door. But she forced herself to take a generous portion before lifting it to her mouth. And as soon as the succulent juices covered her taste buds, all objections flew out the window. Her world returning to the sweet, salty texture prepared just for her.

This time when her plate was empty, she was satisfied. The pain of hunger that she'd carried with her for so long was completely gone leaving her fat and happy. She leaned back in her chair, a very unladylike posture and patted her stomach appreciatively. Give her a tooth pick to chew on and she might as well be a carbon copy of her father. That was a sobering thought. Meanwhile Naruto watched on, happy to see her happy.

The sun was completely set now. The ever present hum of pedestrians all but gone as they separated towards their respective homes. Warm and comfy in her boyfriend's shirt, all she wanted to do was curl back into that bed of his and fall fast asleep. The alternative being much less pleasant. What with her smelly clothes and annoying parents and cold lonely bed. And it sucked all the more for it, for the simple fact that she knew she didn't have the spine to simply say no.

Still, now or an hour from now her parents were going to be just as pissy. She might as well let her meal digest a bit before venturing towards the walk of shame. It felt like no matter what she did or where she went, everyone was against her these days.

Even those who she once trusted with all her heart.

"Do you think me and Ino could be friends again?" The words escaped from her mouth before she could even think to stop them. In truth, they'd continued to plague her long after her shower, stewing in her mind like a bad dream. Even forcing them to the back of her mind had done little to stop there incessant nagging. Better to just let them out than suffer in silence.

Naruto hadn't been expecting the sudden question, and sudden it had been. Across from her his posture was equally relaxed. But he forced himself to sit up and consider her words carefully. When his mouth finally opened, Sakura almost wished she'd just kept her mouth shut.

"I dunno." Considering the concentration he'd put into coming up with those two words, Sakura's face flattened in a single begging question of how she could have ended up with such a moron. Naruto's cheeks reddened significantly.

"I mean," he stressed, "I don't know. Seriously, I don't even get why you two stopped hanging out in the first place." Now it was Sakura's turn to appear bashful, her hands anxiously toying with the bottom of his shirt.

"Well… Sasuke, duh." Naruto's expression didn't change.

"Still don't get it." Sakura's temper flared to life, earning a sharp flinch from her boyfriend. Rolling his eyes, he finally gave in.

"Well, do you want to be friends with her?" For Naruto, who'd had to struggle for every friend he had, this problem was pretty clear cut and dry. But for Sakura, the question much harder to answer.

The Ino she remembered as a little girl was entirely separate from the rival she'd come to know and clash with. Whereas the blonde had, at one point, been kind and supportive, in an instant she'd turned around to become the same kind of girl she'd defended Sakura _from_. So that only left her to once again wonder, which one was the real Ino? And even if she could go back to the way she'd been, could Sakura really forget the years of hell she'd put her through? Did she even WANT to?

"Yes…" Call her an idiot, but Sakura was well and truly tired of hating Ino. The sheer emotional strain of always trying to outdo each other, of always trying to prove that one of them was better, and to what end? If they could put all that behind them maybe she could have a real friend again.

Naruto, hearing the honesty in her voice, shifted uncomfortably. He ducked away from her sullen expression, a nervous consideration taking over. Carefully planning out his words for once, he knew he wanted Sakura to be happy. And it's not like it wasn't in his power. Besides, after getting Sakura, and that had turned out alright, he was more than ready to test what else it could do. An excited smile lit his face.

"Let me talk to her for you!" In the quite comfort of their meal his suddenly boisterous voice stepped on Sakura's nerves. Drawing her eyes, she gave him a cool stare until his excitement took a step back. Though, his grin was still just as confident. "For real, I can make her be friends with you again. Easy!" At a much more reasonable volume, Sakura took his words with a reluctant grin.

It was very nice of him to offer, especially considering he had no involvement with the issue what so ever. But Naruto really wasn't the… diplomatic type. And so, even though the demonic chakra in her system compelled her to allow the offer, she couldn't help the small grimace that drew on her features.

"Are you sure?" she didn't sound convinced. "I mean, thanks but, you saw how she is now. She's not really the nicest person...not anymore." It seems she'd forgotten how she herself had talked to the blonde just a while ago. Naruto considered for a moment pointing it out, but eventually thought better of it. Instead, he just kept smiling, knowing he could handle whatever the other blonde had in store.

"Count on me, Sakura-chan! Friends are way too important to let something as stupid as the bastard ruin it." Sakura's heckles rose at the insult to her past crush, but for once she decided to let it slide. Reluctant, but also just a bit hopeful. "Next time we see her I'll let her know just how dumb she's been." That earned a real smile, and she found herself giggling at the image of the pi- of Ino's enraged face. She sat up just a bit straighter.

"Just try not to get hurt, okay?" but Naruto simply answered with a shrug, casually scratching at the back of his head.

"Anything for Sakura-chan! And besides, even if she keeps being dumb, you'll always have me!" Fortunately for Sakura, Naruto was too busy laughing at his own attempt to seem cool to see the very real emotions his words had inspired in the girl.

Friends, they really had become that despite everything that seemed to demand the contrary. If anyone had told her before that fateful day he'd talked his way into her bedroom, she would think they were out of their minds. But here she was, not out of obligation but actually enjoying herself. Even willing to risk her parent's anger.

It was more than slightly humbling. Allowing her emotions to shine through for a single moment, a gentle expression lifted her lips as she gazed at the person that cared for her so deeply.

"Thanks Naruto… kun." And she really meant it.

Naruto heard her honesty, and found his cheeks warming despite himself.

He thought back to before he'd gotten this power, once again of the lonely dinners and even lonelier home. But ever since Sakura started dating him, all of that had improved.

He had someone to talk to, to care for. And she could ask anything of him and that was fine because he _would_ do it. Learning how to cook, cleaning up his apartment, keeping his voice quieter- whatever it was. Because the alternative of going back to those cold and empty days scared him even more than the demon in his gut.

This power had done nothing but give him the life he'd always dreamed of. And now it was time to use it for someone else.

Falling into a comfortable silence Sakura's mood was considerably lifted after their talk. Food finished and leftovers packed away, she offered to help clean the dishes before heading out.

To anyone else, it would seem like an average, even boring, day. But for two people who had lived for so long without the company of another, it became even more special just because it was so simple.

When they had finished, Naruto watched Sakura leave out the front door with a sad smile. But it was okay, because tomorrow was just another day they would get to enjoy. And he wouldn't pass it up for anything.

 **A/N: again, sorry about the delay. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sooner, maybe after I update Sense of Semblance but possibly sooner. If you enjoyed the chapter and want to see where things are headed please feel free to follow. Or even better, if you really liked it than let me know with a review. Looking forward to the feedback.**

 **Next Chapter:** Ino, indignant in her rival's flippant attitude towards their one time crush is determined to discover the secrets of their relationship and what could have possibly attracted her to a boy like Naruto. How far will she go to find these answers? And even more, when she gets them, will she be able to crawl back? Read and find out.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow, so more great reviews! And I can't begin to explain how happy I am for that. However, I am noticing a certain theme that I feel like I should address. That being the fear people have that including a harem would affect the quality I've been able to bring up until this point. After this chapter I will be addressing this so if you are interested or concerned about a Harem or keeping the story about Sakura please read it once you've finished. To everyone else, sit back and enjoy.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Tag(s): Body-Swap, Shower, Virgin, Public-Arousal.**

 **Girl(s): Ino, Sakura.**

 **Word(s): 10,818**

 **Beta: Lordsofembercelica**

* * *

"Huh!? But _why_?" The sheer disappointment in Naruto's tone carried for a good block. Standing outside the mission hall, their training and morning mission had been short and easy. Expecting another day like the previous, Sakura's frustrated expression burned anew as she repeated herself.

"I told you Naruto-kun, I stayed too long yesterday. My parents knew I was with you and now they're pissed." Though, that wasn't entirely accurate. More than anything her mother had reacted worse to her coming home well after dark. And even then, the look on her face had been closer to fear than anger which confused the teen to no end. Sure Naruto could be a pain in the ass, but that didn't make him dangerous or anything. Of course, her mother seemed to think otherwise as she all but demanded Sakura to never see him again.

Period.

"Seriously, you should have seen them. They were actually talking about getting me to quit being a ninja, as if I would. God, when are they going to stop treating me like a little kid?" To which Naruto could feel a nervous tightening in his gut.

Of course they hated him. How could they not when they knew what he was? That being said, there wasn't much he could actually do about it. Unless, could he? Maybe the best solution for this whole ordeal would be for him to meet them and 'suggest' that he wasn't the crazed demon they and most of the village thought he was? Though, the memory of the scary woman brandishing a skillet still sent a shiver down his spine. Sakura went on, trying to ease his drawn expression.

"Listen, it's just for today alright? I'd ignore them completely if they weren't leaving for a trip tomorrow morning. They'll be gone a whole week and we won't have to worry about them at all, okay?" Rolling her eyes, it was clear what she thought about the ordeal. But Naruto was just as happy. Still, he nodded his head and agreed to hold off for the day.

"Thanks. My mom's waiting for me so I should probably get going. And please try not to do anything stupid just because you're bored?"

While he wasn't sure what constituted as stupid in her book, he agreed none the less. His reward being a soft and quick peck on the cheek. His grin returned in full force. "See you tomorrow." And then she was gone.

Naruto stared after her, eyes squinting against the sun still shining overhead. The days Sakura couldn't hang out with him were honestly the worst. But it wasn't as though he didn't have anything to keep him occupied. Quite the opposite in fact. Ever since they started dating, his training regimen had become lax. And the last thing he needed was to fall behind now of all times.

Compared to an afternoon of hot sex with his girlfriend, something about doing pushups and sit ups in an empty field seemed less than satisfying. But his dream of being Hokage was as real as ever. And maybe it would do some good to pick up where he left off. With little else to consider, the young blond started towards the training field completely unaware of the cornflower blue eyes watching his every move. It was only when she was sure he wouldn't be turning around that she finally went off to stalk after her departed pinkette prey.

"I hate this plan." Shikamaru made sure to point out even as the three members of team six sailed over the rooftops in an attempt to catch up with Ino's rival. Said blonde haired girl showed the boy just what she thought of his opinion, an annoyed sneer was sent over her shoulder and in his direction.

"I told you. Billboard Brow is hiding something and I'm going to find out what. If she's really dating Naruto over Sasuke-kun, then I want to see just what makes Ramen Breath so goddamned special." Shikamaru, struggling to keep up with her twisted reasoning, finally just sighed knowing that he couldn't talk her out of it. Something about Sakura always seemed to make his teammate even more unreasonable than usual.

Ino stopped three buildings ahead of Sakura and watched her from above. Between the two buildings was a narrow alleyway, one that the three ninja jumped down in preparation. From around the corner Ino peered at the other girl waiting for her to get close enough, her eyes darkening as she was almost within range.

She watched Sakura's disgruntled steps and stiff posture, coupled with the silent muttering of her lips, it painted a very specific picture. No matter how she looked at it the other girl really and truly seemed upset at missing out on an afternoon with her boyfriend. This did nothing to ease her mind, if anything, it simply made the girl's teeth clench harder. A slight twinge in her jaw finally forced her to relax.

While she knew she shouldn't get so worked up, over Sakura especially, part of her just couldn't help but feel irritated at the ease with which her ex-best friend had moved on from their shared crush.

That day, the day they'd declared themselves as rivals for Sasuke's love, was the same day their friendship came to an end. For the longest time that had seemed to have meant something to both of them. It was to her, at least, proof of how deeply their hearts longed for the lone survivor. But for Sakura to give up so easily, to just move on to someone else, it shattered that image. And Ino found herself questioning that if her feelings were really so shallow, and if so, what did that say about the friendship they'd destroyed for them?

All over again Ino could feel her chest ache, an ugly frown marring her otherwise flawless features. But she forced herself to focus on the matter at hand. Behind her, the fatty and Mr. lazy bones were primed to act on her signal. The approaching footsteps of Sakura's sandals echoed, but Ino waited until she finally stepped into the line of the alleyway before acting. Her hand chopped forward in an obvious and explicit motion. Shikamaru followed as he'd been instructed, the familiar crest of his family's hand seal braced against his chest.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu." Dry and bored, the results were no less subtle as the shadow under his feet shot forward with all the presence of a light breeze. It reached Sakura in a matter of seconds.

Wholly unprepared for the sudden assault, her eyes turned just in time to feel her body lock up in an inescapable hold, her mouth opened in silent exclamation. Eyes widening at the sight of her rival, whatever words she would have struggled out were silenced by the sight of Ino's own hand sign, a unique circle and crosshair of her own fingers aiming one of the signature Yamanaka techniques.

'Hwoooo'

Something akin to a wolf's howl echoed through the air as the invisible surge of chakra soared towards its target. Sakura's shocked eyes widened further as in a single moment the hair around her face was blown back and both girls found their bodies suddenly prone, the shift in consciousness slow to take hold.

Ino awoke a few moments after the attack, seeing the world through piercing green eyes rather than brilliant blues for a change. Behind her, Shikamaru caught her new body before it could fall face first into the dirt while Choji juggled her original. Mind burdened from the vertigo of getting used to a new shell, she struggled to rise to her full height and took a minute before managing a few shaken steps.

It was…strange, usually only taking her a moment to acclimate a shift in perspective and form with the only exception being when she possessed a male body or someone much larger than her. Sakura had a different build, that was true, but this was more than just a lower center of gravity. After a minute however she shook it off and was fine.

"Well this certainly goes down as one of your worse ideas." Shikamaru's voice carried an undertone of bite. Ino, starring at her own hands and new body, didn't even give him a glance.

"Oh, lighten up; you just need to watch my body for ten minutes. I'm the one that actually has to hang out with _Naruto_." Her usual light and airy form of speech dripped with disdain, just from how she said the boy's name was enough to make one think she was referring to some kind of flesh rotting disease. Shikamaru, sensing his teammate's vanity shining through, couldn't help but curl his features at her tone. He and Naruto may not have been close, but they got along in the Academy well enough. Rather than prolong this inane plot of hers however he chose not to comment.

Ino took a moment to inspect her friend's body and take stock of what she had to work with; after all it had been a few years since their last sleepover. Ultimately she found it deplorably inadequate and wholly unsuitable for much of anything.

From the fitting and texture of her clothes she could tell they weren't designer brand, nor were they tailored. Her bra was a full cup design which did nothing for her already lacking curves and like her panties were plain cotton.

Kunoichi were first and foremost weapons of seduction and assassination, half of their classes revolved around getting close to a target while the other half were what to do when they got close enough.

Even the state of her long pink hair, a mussed and tangled catastrophe after a long day training screamed of poor upkeep and a lack of effort. Sneering to herself, the teenage girl wanted to laugh at Sakura's pathetic attempt at beauty. But then, not everyone could be as naturally radiant as herself. Shrugging her shoulders, a dismissive sigh fell from her nose before she turned back to the two boys, features drawn and irritated.

"I don't need to remind you losers to look after my body until I get back. I'm just going to take Forehead here on a little walk and see how Naruto really is to get Sakura all up and fussy." Hands on her hips, and posed to exaggerate the curves her current body didn't really have, the image of her expression and posture on Sakura's body was an eerie sight. Choji especially seemed to shrink back, his already troubled face becoming even more so as the day's events continued to unfold.

"And this is all still for Sasuke? Somehow?" Shikamaru's dubious tone rang out like a funeral bell. Eyes narrowed, the familiar slouch of his relaxed posture was gone. Seeing his disturbed attitude, Ino bristled, her dismissive and arrogant expression changing to one of defense.

"What else would it be?" she challenged. But Shikamaru didn't answer. Closing his eyes, he shook his head and walked back to the body of his teammate left sprawled on the alley floor.

"I agreed to help you do this because I could see that you were going to anyway no matter how much trouble you got yourself into." His hands reached under her arms and pulled the body until it rested against the adjacent building's wall. Giving a heavy sigh, he straightened before casting the girl a pitiable glance over his shoulder. "I just hope you find what you're looking for."

Ino stared back at him, feeling strangely cold in her chest. Lazy, sleepy, that was the kind of guy she was used to seeing in her teammate. So it was a bit disquieting seeing him suddenly this awake. It was also embarrassing to admit she was the first to look away, an oblivious air about her as she pretended not to acknowledge the tense atmosphere.

"Thanks!" chirping and bright, Shikamaru's expression didn't change even as he watched her move towards the alley's opening. "Try not to miss me too much, huh?" and giggling, even she couldn't deny the off edge it carried. Stubborn till the end, she gave both boys a wave before departing, leaving Shikamaru and Choji to stare after her, neither convinced.

"Hey, Shikamaru, what are we supposed to do now?" Choji's expression was very much the same as when he'd eaten something that didn't agree with him. In answer, Shikamaru looked for the cleanest section of ground he could find before laying down to gaze at the small sliver of blue sky shining through from between the two buildings.

"We wait, and then do our best to clean up whatever mess she's no doubt in the middle of making." Choji's frown depended considerably hearing the ease at which his friend had come to that decision.

"I mean, I get that our parents are friends and everything, but why is it _our_ problem what Ino does?" A fair point, and one Shikamaru was inclined to agree with, were it anybody else. Unfortunately, their futures were all but tied together. And he knew that anything she did would end up affecting them no matter how much they tried to distance themselves from the train wreck.

"Because that's what it means to be a teammate, Choji." Another sigh.

"Even if she's a total pain?"

"It hasn't stopped us so far." And that at least they could agree on.

 ***Training Ground Seven***

The tree line surrounding the beaten clearing made for perfect cover as Ino spotted her target. Standing alone and covered in a fresh layer of dust, Naruto was throwing kunai after kunai at a marked tree. Curious, the girl found herself smiling at the pathetic and all around comical success of his efforts.

Hitting the hard white bark, only a few managed to hit inside the medium sized target he'd been aiming for while the rest sank uselessly into the softer skin or even the surrounding dirt. Whatever assumption she'd made about his skills as a shinobi drastically improving was immediately dashed, making the girl smile all that much more.

It only solidified the facts that she already knew. That being compared to Sasuke he didn't just come up short, he wasn't even in the same league. Her father started her on target practice drills at the age of six, and personally helping her perfect her throwing technique as well as her aim. Naruto on the other hand looked like a civilian trying to pass themselves off as a ninja at a carnival. Smug in her own satisfaction, the young woman was content to sit back and continue watching him fail.

As time passed, however, Ino felt her earlier pleasure turn to boredom. From what she recalled of the blond and his temperament she'd been hoping to see some kind of outburst or exclamation at his lack of ability. He's certainly never failed to put on a good show when he screwed up in the past after all. But without an audience he might as well be dull as dishwater.

Throw at the tree, miss, try again. Throw at the tree, get a little bit closer, but still miss and try again. This repeated for a good fifteen minutes until Ino finally had had enough. ' _Time to get this show on the road.'_

Straightening her hair, she put on her best smile, completely unaware of how comical it looked on the normally awkward and reserved girl she was trying to impersonate. With all the confidence of someone who'd been told she was beautiful all her life and had boys throwing themselves at her feet, she strutted towards Sakura's boyfriend, arms behind her back, chest pushed out, hips swaying seductively and a bright expression. She only made it halfway to him before the sweaty blond boy finally took notice and turned in her direction.

Another mental point against him as she recalled all the times her father drilled spatial and situational awareness into her.

Ino felt her sneering grin widen that much more when Naruto's blue eyes locked onto her approaching form. He didn't say anything, just cocked his head to the side and furled his brow in deep confusion. Ino didn't pay this any mind, sure that he must just be surprised to see his girlfriend actually acting like one for a change. She made sure to send him a playful wink, which rather than entice him, actually seemed to send him reeling back. Her girly giggle filled the quiet clearing until finally she was standing before him. Having played out this scenario a dozen times in her mind, she decided on a flirty, but playful pose, arcing her hips and leaning forward just slightly before she spoke.

"Hi, hotness, you looked a little lonely all by yourself out here and I thought you'd be a bit happier if I dropped by." Fluttering her eyelashes and flashing her perfect smile, she knew the idiot in front of her didn't stand a chance. Flirting, body language, tone, she'd mastered all of these in the Academy, but combined with her never ending quest to nab the Uchiha heir fueling her she more than excelled. On a lesser man it might as well turn their brains to mush, which is exactly what she needed.

Unfortunately for her, Naruto's reaction wasn't quiet as favorable as she had expected.

Staring at his girlfriend Naruto felt his eyes squint, almost as though that would be enough to clear up the… odd picture he was seeing. "Sakura-chan?" he felt the need to ask because, honestly? He wasn't really sure.

Her fist cracked against his shoulder in a bone rattling blow. For a moment, he panicked, thinking he might have said the wrong thing. This surge of emotions was quickly calmed, as instead of the familiar tight and infuriated glare he'd come to know and fear from the pinkette, she just smiled even harder… to the point he wondered if it hurt. Rubbing the sure to be bruised arm he just felt even more confused.

"Of course it me, silly goose! Who else could I be?" The answer placated him, if only bit. It _felt_ like Sakura if nothing else. He'd yet to meet another girl who could punch him like that. Plus, oddness aside, she certainly looked like his girlfriend. Her glimmering green eyes and subtle curves he'd been growing to learn by heart fit her image. He felt his defenses ease a fraction. Something was off but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Naruto gave the girl a warm, if not strained grin. "Hey, I thought you said you were going home?" Scratching his head, he watched the bright expression on Sakura's face freeze, if only for a moment. But just as quickly he was treated to the sound of her surgery sweet laughter.

"And be apart from you?" She gave another burst of giggles. "No way mister, how could I even think about wasting even a single second of today outside of your arms?"

Naruto blinked wildly at Ino's words, a small flush of color lighting his dirt stained cheeks. On reflex he felt himself returning the gesture, a boyish laugh erupting while he scratched the back of his head.

He took another look at his girlfriend, trying to understand what could be causing her to act so… not Sakura. Though he couldn't deny how a part of him actually enjoyed it. Sakura was great no matter how she acted but, that didn't mean it couldn't be stressful at times with how stubborn she was. Maybe he should be a little more suspicious over what had caused the change, but so long as she was happy, did it really matter? And seeing the way she looked at him, she appeared to be very happy. Naruto swallowed his doubt, other idea's coming to mind.

"Okay!" Naruto belted, not so much as thinking to question the odd explanation. Time with Sakura was time with Sakura, and he wasn't about to look good fortune in the mouth now of all times! His face erupted into the familiar happy go lucky grin. "So what'cha wanna do today, Sakura-chan? Huh?" now it was Ino's turn to smile.

She regarded the knucklehead of their academy, willing her now green eyes to keep from rolling. Honestly, boys were just too simple, but that just made controlling them that much easier. She would have flipped her hair if she had it. Instead she just answered his excitement with her own, determined to discover the secret of why her rival had chosen him. But to do that, she'd need to observe the sideshow that was their relationship in its natural habitat.

"What we usually do, of course," she answered breezily, unable to comprehend the implications of her words. Naruto however was more than aware of their _usual_ activities, and brightened accordingly. Seeing his idiotic grin grow even more stupid, the young girl didn't even think to question the purpose, so sure in her plans as well as her own abilities.

"Really?" Naruto exclaimed, all but jumping for joy. In their relationship so far Sakura had _never_ been that bold. Which only endeared him to this strange new version all the more. Lost in his excitement, Ino found her eyes widening as his arms surrounded her, trapping her against him. The full heat and sweat of his body pressed against her in a single blink. It ended just as soon as it started, and Naruto pulled away before she could even think to get angry. Even still, she found herself startled at the ease with which he'd touched her.

She flirted, she lead guys on, whispered nonexistent promises in their mind and called out to their bodies with her own. But this was the first time one had actually _touched_ her. Even if it was only just a hug, it had breached her zero zone, something she hadn't expected.

"Come on; come on, Sakura-chan!" His hand reached out and clasped her smaller, softer one in his own and Ino felt her shoulder jerk as she was pulled into a brisk walk. To where she couldn't say, but she found herself too focused on simply catching up with his pace to give it much thought. Her mind too preoccupied with the knowledge that once again he was touching her, again his skin was in contact with hers and she found herself confused.

She winced, feeling him pull on her one more time. Saccharine expression falling, something closer to her usual fire shined through as she felt herself growing annoyed. She was a second away from tearing her appendage back but before she had the chance, Naruto suddenly looked back at her, and she froze. His eyes, they were alight with some expression she couldn't quite place, one she had never seen before.

"You're the best Sakura-chan!" He continued, again catching Ino off guard as an ugly sensation stirred in her stomach. Even still she just forced herself to smile, and thank the blond. Inside however, her thoughts couldn't be further from the cheery girl who had approached the blond. In fact, it mirrored the dark substance she found pinching her gut.

 _'Naruto is just as much of an idiot as Sakura. Who does he think he is trying to act cool like that?'_ Face still beaming at her, she finally allowed her eyes to roll when he turned his attention back to in front of them. Though, she did make an effort to quicken her pace so as to limit blond's need to usher her forward. ' _I just need to make this look good. He might start asking questions if I pull away now.'_ That being said, it didn't stop the young teen from her attention drifting towards her hand to squeeze back his dust coated and dirtied fingers.

Compared to Sasuke he really didn't have a single redeeming quality. Which is why she so dearly wished she could get the image of his smiling face out of her mind.

 ***Naruto's Apartment***

 _'No way.'_ These were Ino's first thoughts upon entering Naruto Uzumaki's home. Doing her best to appear unaffected and casual, she couldn't stop herself from glancing around at the small living space.

At first glimpse it really wasn't much to look at. Poor furniture of questionable origin, no decorations including a complete lack of pictures or photos, and even less taste given the color, pattern and condition of everything she saw. Once she got over those appalling facts, it took everything she had not to gasp when she remembered that Naruto had the _entire place_ to himself. He was one of the many orphans left behind after the Kyuubi attack, meaning he had nobody to tell him what to do! And, as a teenage girl who still lived with two overbearing parents, that one aspect alone might as well have made the tiny, cramped, crappy apartment as grand as the Hokage mansion itself.

"Hey, um, I haven't had a chance to go shopping again since yesterday but I still have some leftovers from dinner last night if you're hungry!" Naruto's words forced her to spin around, the implications bringing an awed light to her eyes. She didn't say a word, just staring at him until he flinched back anxiously.

 _'That… bitch.'_

Though genius might have been more accurate if Ino's mind was on the right track as it looked like that oversized forehead of hers really wasn't just for show. Ino had come here intending to discover just what Sakura saw in him, what could possibly make him tolerable let alone appealing.

Well she was pretty sure she'd just found it.

A boyfriend who had his own parent free place to live, one which she got to use at her leisure by the sound of it. Not only that, but she even had Naruto cooking and shopping for her. Seriously? At the academy Ino had always found Naruto's obsessive attraction to her rival an annoyance given how every other guy with a pulse (meaning not Shikamaru) that had even a remote interest in girls but lacked the control Sasuke possessed were head over heels for _her_. He was the one and only little pawn that wasn't lined up under her thumb. True, it had at times been something to laugh at given just how pathetic it was to watch him fawn over her and shout out how great she was. But suddenly, the prospect of having a boy who worshiped your every step seemed a mite more attractive than she'd already guessed. And the blonde could feel her new body well up with jealously.

She didn't actually care about him. Of course she didn't, even _Sakura_ would never be _that_ desperate. She was just using Naruto, for his house and his kitchen. Not to mention the added bonus of him doing whatever the hell she wanted. It was like getting a free servant, but even better!

"That sounds lovely," Ino preened, her bright expression returning once more as she tilted her cutesy expression at the blond. "Be a dear and heat that up for me, would you?" And to her amazement, Naruto seemed more than happy to oblige. Running off to his fridge to get the requested meal prepared. Ino meanwhile made herself at home, stretching along the small couch the blond had stuffed in the corner of the room. Its cushions smelled a bit, but it was soft and it gave her the chance to better observe just what her rival had been leaching off the blond boy.

It was clean being the first thing she noticed. Despite the old and warn furniture, the floors and room itself looked spotless. Surprising considering it was still technically his room. Boy's their age weren't exactly known for their hygiene, Naruto being the biggest example.

It made her wonder just how much Sakura had managed to worm herself into the living space. And, more importantly, what _she_ would do with it if she ever took the pinkette's place. That thought earned a thoughtful hum, and as the smell of reheated fish began to spread throughout the small room it became that much more appealing.

Though it was only a small thought at the moment; honestly she wasn't even sure if she really wanted to bother with the other blond yet. But should she decide to steal him away for herself; surely it couldn't be too difficult a task. He seemed to enjoy the way she treated him today after all. Add in her killer figure and maybe a bit of leg, flash him one of her sexier bras and his silly infatuation with Sakura would be forgotten in an instant.

Besides, if she really wanted to seal the deal it wasn't as though she wasn't in a position to humiliate her rival. _'Let's see how much Naruto loves her after she sneezes in his face or beats him to a pulp.'_ Oh yes, the more she thought about it the more the idea appealed to her. The apartment really would improve with just a bit more purple.

"Sakura-chan!" Ino turned in time to see her current boyfriend carrying a plate of food from the kitchen. She smiled brightly, the prospect of being served always a joyous one. Salmon by the looks of it, even microwaved it smelled wonderful. She'd have to remember to add cook to the growing list of possible uses she had in mind. The boy handed her meal right to her and sitting up straight she accepted it, face beaming in thanks.

One more time, Naruto found himself swallowing against seeing Sakura so happy and cheerful. Ino had been right about one thing. He did enjoy seeing Sakura so open compared to her normally reserved self. He answered her expression with his own, a fresh cup of steamy ramen clutched in his free hand. He plopped himself down right next to her only to begin wolfing down his precious meal with all the grace of a wild animal.

Ino flinched back, horrified at the sight of his table manners. "Stop that you moron!" she found herself shouting before she could think otherwise. The loud slurping and sucking sounds quickly came to an end, and she found herself staring at a suddenly bashful expression.

He swallowed what was already in his mouth with an audible gulp. "Heh-he, sorry about that, Sakura-chan. I forgot." Grinning despite the situation, Ino watched him return to his meal, this time politely carrying the salty noodles to his mouth at an even pace. Ino found herself blinking, surprised by the development.

Ino took her first bite of her meal, deliciously menacing thoughts bubbling beneath her joyful exterior. Perks were perks, but the way he'd just snapped to attention wasn't something even her looks could buy. He had his own apartment, treated her like a queen, and was an obedient lap dog: well, that just about made her decision for her.

Sakura, that sneaky girl. Thinking she could have all of this for herself. As if. No sir, by the end of the day, Mr. Short Blond and Stupid over here will be in the market for a new girlfriend. Just in time for her to swoop in and snatch him up. At least until Sasuke stopped being shy of course. But casting the blond aside when she was done with him would be all too simple.

They ate in silence, both teens smiling and in bright spirits. Though for completely different reasons. Naruto was still the first to finish even at his muted pace. But he patiently waited for Ino to finish her fillet of fish. Savoring the last bite, Ino sighed contently, all too aware her plot was only beginning. She leaned towards the boy, preparing to unleash the first of many insults she'd been preparing when Naruto's lips suddenly pressed against her own.

For Ino, who had no idea how far things had progressed in the pair's relationship, hadn't seen it coming. It happened so quickly, and without any provocation on her part. And yet feeling her eyes widen she couldn't deny the sight of Naruto's face so close to her own, or the soft sensation of his lips massaging against hers. She opened her mouth to gasp but this proved to be a grave mistake. Misconstruing her actions as an invitation, Naruto's tongue naturally pushed deep inside to taste the lingering flavor of her mouth.

For all the magazines, movies, and books she'd read up until this point, Ino was surprisingly virginal in the actual execution of said tips and tricks to be Konoha's sexiest kunoichi. Sure, she studied all the same material her classmates had in the Academy, with the diagrams and outlines that appeared vaguely human, and she'd heard about all the things that supposedly went on behind closed doors between couples as well. She even studied the supposed best methods to please her man. That man being Sasuke, one day. But none of that could have prepared her for the impossibility of her first kiss.

Her initial instinct was to pull away, the soft warm muscle of Naruto's tongue wriggling in her open mouth and saturated in the disgustingly salty flavor of ramen being repulsive. But his hands had locked themselves on her slim waist making it impossible to jump away.

Hands braced on her sides, she found herself lacking the jaw cracking strength she'd acquired in Sakura's body. It was just…sapped out of her as lame as it may have sounded, even to her. This, of course, made her attempts to push him away much harder than it should have been. Watching him train and comparing him to Sasuke, she'd always mocked him for being so weak. And yet, now she could only wonder how his body felt so firm and unyielding when pressed against hers.

Naruto, who'd yet to catch onto his girlfriend's identity, had no idea his advances could be undesired. Especially since while she liked to pretend she didn't enjoy his attention, when it came down to it Sakura had always enjoyed their time together as much as he had, never once pushing him away. Faintly in the back of his mind he did question her lack of response to his kiss.

Inside her mouth he'd grown used to the way she'd lick back at him, sometimes even forcing him back into his own mouth. But today she seemed… less than enthused. Never one to give up, Naruto decided she must simply need a bit more motivation to get into the swing of things, something he was more than ready and willing to supply.

Pulled back the way she was, it was no trouble at all to pull his hand from her fidgeting hips and up between them. Boldly pressing against her chest, he felt her gasp against his lips and he smiled because of it.

He'd spent enough time with her to know what she liked. Which is why, disregarding the almost painful grip she held against his shoulder, he repeated the same motions he'd done tens of times, urging her back until she laid against the cushions.

Now suspended above her, he naturally moved himself between her legs, taking special care to caress and kneed the clothed mounds of her breast.

Ino's mind was an explosion of conflict. As if kissing wasn't bad enough, suddenly finding Naruto on top of her, between her legs, and groping at her chest was almost too much for her to fathom. Even worse was the distinct budge she could feel resting on the top of her crotch, moving and grinding dangerously close to a space she knew it shouldn't be. But worst of all was the implications of what all this meant. For the blond, and well as Sakura herself.

 _"So what'cha wanna do today, Sakura-chan? Huh?"_

 _"What we usually do, of course,"_

The words echoed through her mind like wisps of smoke. And she found herself utterly shocked at what they had ended up meaning.

' _This is what Sakura normally does with Naruto?! But then, that would mean that they've already… she already…'_ But before she could even finish that line of thought the ever pressing length of Naruto's tented trousers shifted enough to press directly into her crotch. That, finally was the push she needed to regain her strength away from him. But even then Naruto didn't so much as a budge; a look of confusion did finally coming to the surface though.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. What's wrong? You're acting weird today." But Ino was only half listening, the brunt of her attention focused on the gasping breath of her lungs as well as her own hammering heart.

After a moment, she finally calmed enough to turn back towards the blond. Only to shrink back seeing his face still so close. She struggled to find her voice.

"Me?" she managed. But the result was just a few pitches higher than she would have liked. "No, no. I'm fine. Really." But that just made Naruto's face twist all the more.

Ino stared up at Naruto, eyes still stretched impossibly wide. Finally given a moment to collect her thoughts, she still found herself grasping for her own sanity. Forehead had actually had sex?! Seriously?

More than an insult or feeling amazed, Ino found her pride rearing up all over again. For how long had she been the one coaxing and leading the other girl when Sakura couldn't even stand up for herself? Well, it seemed like those days were over. The sheer fact that she'd gone and lost her virginity had left Ino feeling markedly left in the dust. Especially when her first kiss had happened only moments ago.

Still, that wasn't really important at the moment. She could spread rumors after she escaped this hellhole. No apartment was worth sleeping with Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura could fucking have him.

"Then what's the problem?" Naruto's voice broke her from her thoughts.

Ino thought for a moment, mind racing. Finally a speck of dirt on his horrid orange jack managed to brush off onto her cheek. And she had an idea. Doing her best to keep up her sweet and gentle tone, anyone could see she was failing just from the anxiety that seemed to draw on her features. Never the less, when she opened her mouth her tone was perfectly calm.

"Y-You dummy?" she smiled at his inquisitive frown. "Just look at you, all covered in dirt and sweat. How can you expect a girl to get in the mood when all she can think about is getting covered in dust, hmm?" She fell silent, green eyes watching Naruto consider her words. Amazingly, he glanced down at himself and seemed to notice his state for the first time. An open look of understanding finally took his features, and Ino's heart soared at the prospect of getting out of this unfazed.

"See?" she continued, confidence stilling her tone. "So, how about this? You run off and take a bath and when you're done we can do all the… fun stuff we usually do, huh?" and to her gasping relief, he smiled.

Little did he know the second he closed that door she would be out on the street running for dear life. If this is what Sakura did with her body than she could have it! This was one day Ino Yamanaka would spend the rest of her life trying to forget. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't quite over yet.

"Great idea, Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered. And Ino almost joined him. She felt him crawl off her body, the wave of relief that consumed her almost numbing. She was allowed to enjoy the emotion for all of three seconds before Naruto continued. "Let's take one together!" And just like that, her stomach dropped, her smile freezing on her face.

Together? As in, both of them? Completely nude and actually washing each other? The very thought of it sent Ino's cheeks into a lovely shade of crimson that typically only the Hyuuga heiress could claim. She struggled to find something to say; to work out some way to escape but in that moment she found her wit failing her.

 _'You came here to see what made Naruto so desirable. Shouldn't you at least see what he has to offer?'_ Red chakra pulled in the blonde's mind. Coaxed by Naruto's words she found herself struggling to resist the compulsions already working against her to follow Naruto's offhanded command.

"T-Together?" she stuttered, fear welling up inside her. Looking anywhere else but the blond, she remained on that dusty old couch, her stomach twisting and lurching. "No way. I mean, I can't- that's…" but she couldn't finish the sentence, the images in her mind growing even more graphic and her cheeks warming despite herself.

 _'If Sakura's this serious about him, don't you think it's worth seeing what else he can offer? It's not even your body. What do you have to be afraid of? Just one quick shower and you can run off back to your body before he ever knows it was anyone but his girlfriend_.'

She was horrified to find herself actually reasoning towards accepting his proposal. But nonetheless, when he offered his hand she found herself being lifted to her feet and led towards a closed door. Opened and lights turned on, she could only feel her heart drop at the sight of bright white tiles.

She didn't say a word, worry chewing through her naturally talkative self. Faced away from the blond, the sound of water spilling from pipes broke against the smooth tile of his tub. She flinched as though it were a gunshot.

 _'You can do this, no big deal._ ' Ino found herself thinking. Determined to just get it over with. Unfortunately, that didn't make the sound of Naruto's jacket unzipping any less daunting. Helpless she found her eyes moving towards him, his dark blue undershirt breaking the otherwise obnoxious garment. He shrugged it off with enthusiasm, the greatest smile Ino had ever seen plastered across his face.

She could only watch in horror.

Watching the boy undress, Ino found it impossible to look away. Reservations aside, her interaction with the opposite sex had been all but fictional up to this point. Sure she would tease and flirt with boys, but it was never anything serious or remotely close to this! And the prospect of seeing a real, naked male didn't escape her notice. True, she would also need to undress. But this opportunity proved to be an interesting one. And one that she actually wouldn't mind, if only to sate her curiosity. The fact that it wasn't her body he would be seeing also helped.

Peeking from the corner of her eye, she found her hands gripping the side of her arm as soon as his tanned torso came into view. Suddenly, that firm unyielding force from earlier didn't seem quite so impossible now that she was able to look at what she'd been gripping.

Her earlier observation hadn't been a joke. His entire body really was covered in dirt, dust, and grime. But hiding underneath those dusty patches rested the smooth, firm muscles of a boy who spent hours of every single day honing his body and his abilities. Ino felt her eyes lock on the movement of his back, each shift forcing its many cords to bunch and flex. And, unexpectedly, a certain sensation bloomed in her lower stomach. One that her magazines had gone into great detail to describe.

She forced herself to look away, cheeks molten as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. _'Just a quick shower, just so I can leave afterwards,'_ she reminded herself. But trapped in a body that was not her own, she couldn't possibly fathom the many hormones Sakura's sexual awakening had birthed.

Treated to a near daily exploration of those new emotions and sensations, her body was like a freshly tapped well ready to explode at a moment's notice. A girl in her prime, her body was all too ready to respond at even the smallest notice. And Ino was gifted with the experience of feeling it firsthand.

"Hey, you gotta hurry up, Sakura-chan!" Naruto's excited tone had not lessened in the dragging moments. Down to his boxers, he looked over at his girlfriend only to frown at her lack of nudity. Still hard, his erection pressed against the front of his boxers without shame, creating a startling moment for the young kunoichi as she dared to look in his direction. Rather than peak she just nodded her head still turning in the opposite direction.

Stealing a quick breath before moving to undo the front of her dress it wasn't until the zipper met her waist and the pink frills of Sakura's bra peeked out that she recognized an entirely different problem.

She had to undress. But in Sakura's body that meant she was going to have to look at and see her former best friend naked, and would even have to touch it to wash herself. Something that the blonde could confidently say she had never even considered. As if taking control of her body hadn't been violating enough, Ino wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about this.

Stealing her body was fine, spying on her and her boyfriend's relationship was okay, sabotaging their relationship she had no issues with, but for some reason this felt…wrong. Like she was crossing some line that didn't sit well with her and she couldn't make sense of why. Unfortunately, she didn't exactly have time to think about it.

The even sound of falling water was disrupted urging Ino to look without thinking. Behind her Naruto had discarded the last of his clothes and gotten in ahead of her. Faced in her direction, he smiled shamelessly, apparently intent on watching her undress. As a result, his naked erection now pointed directly towards the poor girl. Who's eyes locked onto its full length too shocked to even think. Suddenly Sakura's body was the least of her worries.

Swallowing against her throat, she felt the suddenly dry patches of skin drag against each other. Without even thinking about it, the two halves of her dress slid easily over her shoulders. Falling to her feet she was left in only her bra and shorts. The sight seemed to attract the blond as his member bounced in response. But all Ino could do was stare at it and try to keep her cheeks from catching fire.

Almost bare from the waist up she couldn't even think to hide her attention as she observed her first ever penis. The magazines she'd read growing up had always gone on about size and what was good and what was bad. At its full length, Ino could only shake her head thinking it was plenty.

Water trailed down his developing abs and along the hardening shaft. Bright red, the vein's winding along its sides seemed almost painful.

She must have stared at it for a full minute before finally turning away. The small sensation in her gut had all but multiplied, forcing her body to feel a strange humidity between her legs. ' _One problem at a time',_ Ino forced herself to return to the matter at hand. That being Sakura's body.

Turned back to her own plight, she found herself suddenly faced with the dangerous question of what to remove next. Her bra would reveal Sakura's breasts. But something about her pants seemed to make the situation more real. Not that seeing an erection didn't do the same. But it did so in a more personal way.

Taking another breath, she decided that it would have to happen eventually. Fingers on each side of her hips, they hooked into the light spandex hugging her hips and thighs and forced the material to her knees. Bending over, she unknowing gave the blond quite the view as her panty clad bottom swayed side to side. With her shorts gone she was left in only a pair of pink panties, white frills lining the waistband. Standing up straight, Ino glanced towards the mirror to see the image of her rival in nothing but her underwear.

Once again she found curiosity leading her to places she knew she should avoid. She liked to joke that Sakura was flat as a washboard but the fact of the matter was that the curves _were_ there. Nothing compared to hers of course. But still, shifting and turning she could see that Sakura really had grown up to be a fairly lovely young woman. And she could see why Naruto was so excited to see her.

Looking at herself, Naruto was still grinning at her back. But he was easy to ignore. Him and his nudity was another mater all together. Right now, she found herself trapped by her own snooping

The bra was next, extending her blush from her cheeks all the way to her collar. Pale skin flared bright red and Ino found herself staring at the breasts she currently owned. She didn't really have much of an opinion either way. They seemed nice enough anyway, lacking in size as she expected but surprisingly not by as much as she thought. Her own breasts were modestly larger, but much more firm and bottom heavy. Resulting in them looking much larger than Sakura's. The pinkette on the other hand possessed a pair of very soft breasts, their shape almost completely conforming to whatever she was wearing.

Fingering the hem of her panties she decided to just get it over with, pushing them down in a single quick motion. Past the swell of the hips gravity did the rest pooling the flimsy material at her feet only to be kicked away.

' _Huh…_ ' That's all the girl found herself thinking as she stared at her childhood friend's bare sex. Bare as in naked, though a thin layer of darkish pink hair rimed the otherwise pale and flushed lips. Before she could think better of it, she found her hands drifting from her stomach to brush the wispy pink strands. ' _Guess I can't say she dyes her hair anymore.'_

It was a strange experience getting such a bold view of another girl's naked body. More than anything else, Ino found her eyes drawn to the small line reaching up from between her legs. It was definitely going to be a strange experience the next time she was supposed to look her former friend in the face. Cheeks warm, she finally turned around to give the blond her attention.

Naruto, up till this point, had been too absorbed watching Sakura's naked body in full daylight to notice her strange self inspection. That being said, seeing her turn around and nervously approach the small bathtub he made sure to step out of the spray enough that she could get inside. Warm water quickly cascaded down her body, soaking her in the relaxing warmth. But stiff as she was, she hardly noticed, still far too distracted by the proximity of Naruto's extended appendage.

A small apartment and small bathroom, it would make sense for his shower to match. At the moment she found herself acutely aware of the small space separating her from the throbbing pillar dangling between the blond's legs. Only made more apparent in the way it seemed to always point in her direction, just waiting to strike. Finally her musings were cut short by the sound of his voice, practically bursting with cheer.

"Heh-he," he gave a perverted laugh. Even having had sex, his cheeks still held that healthy glow.

"Wow, Sakura-chan's really pretty!" Ino found herself glancing away, her own blush forming under the compliment. Not exactly poetic, but the sheer honesty in the statement seemed to affect her more than the actual words. That ugly feeling returning in her gut, Ino felt her lips pinch.

"I'm okay," she found herself saying, nose turned up in defiance. Maybe billboard brow wasn't the troll she'd thought, but that didn't mean she even held a candle up to her real body. In the back of her mind, she found herself wondering how the blond would react to _her_ curvaceous goodness. And that, for once, brought a real smile to her face.

Not that she ever would. But it was nice to imagine the look on his face when he saw her in all her glory. He'd never look at Sakura the same again. She unknowingly allowed her smiled to grow even more. Delighting the blond in what he thought was his own actions.

"Here, let me wash your back." Ino stared at him, brow raised. But compelled to agree she found herself turning about face, her small breasts jiggling with each step and her pert rear now faced in the blond's direction. Out of sight, she could hear the sound of water falling and a bottle being opened then closed. Another moment passed before she found Naruto's strong, callused hands pressed against her smooth skin, foamy, sweet smelling body wash suddenly filling the humid air.

Ino stood awkwardly, not really sure what to do in this situation. Happy just to have his hands on her, Naruto didn't seem to care at all leaving her to focus on the slow comforting motions of his hands moving across her back. Closing her eyes, she admitted that it felt somewhat nice, even leaning into the sensations as soon as she allowed herself to relax.

Naruto was good with his hands. Often clumsy and brutish, when he touched her Ino didn't feel anything like that. Instead she basked in the gentle, careful, almost reverential attention of her skin. He genuinely seemed to want to clean her, care for her. And it showed in the way he took his time.

Subconsciously picking up on these emotions, Ino was helpless but to appreciate the attentive treatment. Never before had she been treated with such tenderness by someone who wasn't her family.

Maybe… maybe he isn't as bad as she'd originally thought. Still nothing compared to Sasuke, but she could see how Sakura might be able to settle for him. These musing flowed through her mind as Naruto's hands continued up her neck and down her shoulders.

Naruto could feel his cheeks bursting with enthusiasm as he explored his girlfriend's body. Soft and firm, she felt amazing under his hands and the water only made it that much easier to slide across the silky skin. Up until now he'd always had to let her shower after sex alone. But he was quickly deciding that he might have to convince her to let him join in more often.

Finished with her back, he'd scrubbed just hard enough to leave her skin pink and clean. When he pulled back she remained as she was though, unaware that he'd finished. Naruto, ever hopeful, immediately assumed this meant that she must have wanted him to wash other places as well, an idea he was more than willing to oblige.

Getting another handful of her body wash, he lathered it between his hands before once again returning to her slender figure. The gentle curves of her ribs were met with his touch as he moved up and down her sides, washing from her waist to her hips. Ino, still basking in his attention had no idea what was about to happen. Right up until his hands moved up from under her arms only to settle on the small swell of her breasts.

Naruto took a step forward, the lack of space forcing him to rest his chest against her still sudsy back. This also resulted in lining his erection up against her pert rear, its firm length naturally sliding between the two soft cushions of her ass. At the same time his hands cupped his girlfriend's budding chest, their pebbled nipples jutting out into his slippery grasp. And all the while Ino could only gasp, her eyes flying open at the sudden change in tone.

She should have seen this coming, really. As loving and as genuine as Naruto's feelings were he was still a young man. And what did young men love more than to get their hands on a nice pair of breast. Unfortunately, as the owner of said breast, Ino was helpless but to stand there as the same hands she had just been enjoying against her back now began to kneed her womanly flesh.

For Ino, it was a bit difficult to decide what freaked her out the most. Feeling her breasts getting touched by a boy, or said boy's erection pressed against her ass. The fact they were naked and that it was his bare skin touching her finally won out and she found herself shivering at the contact.

 _'It's touching me! It's touching me! It's touching me!'_ In a very immature moment, Ino's face screwed up the way it would if someone had forced to her to pick up a bug or piece of trash. That being said, there was no denying the weight of the moment. Buck naked and soaked to her core she was actually touching her first ever penis. And what an impression it made.

Girlish squeals aside, Ino did find herself somewhat fascinated by the thing pressed against her backside. Firm and hot to the touch, she could feel the blond's heartbeat thump against her skin. And she couldn't help but swallow against her throat feeling just how hard his heart was pounding.

In some ways it made her happy to know he was even a little bit as nervous as her. But the fact it was because of Sakura's body and Sakura herself swept any warmth that might have formed. Instead, she found herself putting on a thoughtful expression as she felt Naruto's hands begin to explore further.

Naruto, in his two weeks of dating Sakura, had done his best to learn as much as he could about making their time together enjoyable for the both of them. Things like how to kiss her, where she liked to be touched, and just how to touch her being his chief concern. Because of this, and trapped in Sakura's body, Ino was prey to all the weakness the blond had been able to sniff out. Her breasts just as vulnerable as the rest of her.

Still excited and grasping, Naruto's fingers fumbled only a little as they rubbed against the sensitive flesh. He grasped the orb and rolled the fatty meat against her chest. Nipples pressed against his palm, his grip shifted just enough to rub slow circles around each tightening bud. His reward being the two reddish pick tips standing out at attention.

Warm, pleasurable tingles arched up the girls spine and directly to the point between her legs. Gasping at the reality of sexual pleasure, Ino found her eyes widening at just what the blond could do.

Unlike Sakura, Ino was no stranger to pleasure. Though, as of yet the acts had been limited to only herself. Masturbation aside, thoughts of a certain Uchiha had been more than enough to carry her to orgasmic bliss in her pubescent age. However, there was something to be said for the difference between her own fingers pulling and twisting at her nipples, and those of a man. To say it left her reeling would be an understatement, to the point she was almost able to forget about the pillar of flesh sawing between her backside.

 _'Naruto's actually pretty good at this,'_ she allowed herself to acknowledge. Closing her eyes once again, the shock of being quite literally manhandled had officially worn off, allowing her to sit back and enjoy the sparks of pleasure that left her toes curling against the smooth wet tiles.

Ino once again found herself faced with the shocking realization that Sakura had been the first to lose her virginity. The teen girl would be lying if she said she said she wasn't at least a little jealous. Not of Naruto of course. Goodness no. But that fact that she had reached that milestone of her life so quickly.

Had it hurt? Had it felt good? What did he say afterword? Did he say anything at all? What kind of lover had Naruto turned out to be? These were just a few of the questions she found running through her head. If they'd still been friends she might have been able to get an answer from the pinkette. All dressed up in their pajama's eating food that they both knew they shouldn't, just like back then, when the world had seemed so simple…

Ino found her sigh falling from her lips before she even knew it was coming. Naruto's attentions had done more than just excite her breasts and those effects were now well and spread throughout her slender form.

Between her legs she could feel the lips of her sex swell with arousal as well as the tiny bead seated at its tip. With the solid mass of Naruto's body pressed against her back and the still throbbing meat of his erection rubbing against her, the combination of hormones and stimulation was growing to be too much for the blonde kunoichi. The added stimulation forcing her mind to turn towards… questionable avenues.

Would it really be so bad to take Naruto up on his offer? The thought of sex had at first scared the crap out of her. But given enough time to process the possibility, as well as to experience firsthand a sample of what Naruto had to offer, Ino knew she was at least a little intrigued.

The fact that Sakura had beaten her to the punch was also a large contributing factor. After all, it wasn't like she could just let herself be left behind, right? And who better than for it to be the guy Sakura had chosen? She might be in Sakura's body but it wasn't like she wasn't actively using it for the same activity. Really, it just made sense.

This reasoning only rang more true as Ino felt the blunt ends of his fingers bear down on her tips, a wave of goose bumps consuming her skin as she felt the shivers spread throughout her body.

"Hey Naruto-kun?" Ino's innocent tone asked. Leaned over her shoulder, his mouth lined nearly perfectly to her ear. When he answered, his voice was carefully muted with arousal.

"Ah-huh?" Ino considered her words one last time, double checking that she actually wanted to go through with it. In the end, Naruto made the decision for her, his warm breath accidently breaking over the shell of her ear. Her answering smile could be heard in her tone.

"You wouldn't mind washing something else for me, would you?" Saccharine and casual, one would have no idea about her real intentions. Which is why Ino decided to take the initiative. Reaching up to grab Naruto's right hand she pulled it lower, down her chest, over her stomach and continued moving towards her pelvis.

The blond finally seemed to catch on when she place it directly atop her heated mound, his fingers combing through the dark pink hair. His response was just as excited as she'd hoped, made evident by the defined jerk of his swollen erection. She smiled deviously.

 ***Alleyway***

"Shikamaru, how much longer is Ino gonna take? She said she would be gone ten minutes. That was like, half an hour ago!"

Still stuck in the alley they had ambushed Sakura from, the two young men were left to stand awkwardly around the still unconscious body of their female teammate. Propped against the wall of one building, her head lolled forward. A clear sign of her lack of consciousness.

Shikamaru, knowing what his friend had said to be true, still found himself unsure what to say. After all, it wasn't like they could just leave her there. Ino might be a pain but you didn't need to be a genius to know leaving an unconscious woman in a dark alley could only spell trouble.

That said, taking her someplace else wasn't exactly much better. Even if they did manage not to get spotted, which would be just about impossible to explain, there was still their parents. And if _Inoichi_ got wind of how his daughter was using their family's techniques…a shiver ran up his spine.

Pranking and jokes was one thing, but there was a limit to how much someone could get away with in using jutsus against fellow members of your village. He was just thankful that it had been Sakura who she was targeting, and not someone that came from a clan, like the Hyuuga.

So, frowning, Shikamaru continued to lie beside the bags of garbage stacked along the fence blocking the other end of the alley, trying his best to enjoy the relative silence of the girl's absence.

"Nothing we can do but yell at her when she gets back." As if he would even bother. Still, this was pretty uncool, even for her. Shikamaru knew girls could be bothersome, but whenever Sakura came into the picture Ino seemed to completely lose it.

She could say that Sakura was trying to steal Sasuke all she wanted. But the truth of the matter was probably closer to that she was afraid to lose the last connection she had to her friend. Hate was still a passionate emotion after all, and wasn't the opposite of love or friendship, apathy was. Which is why for Sakura to just walk away, well, it was no wonder why Ino was going so crazy.

Speak of the devil and she will appear.

Both boys jumped at the sound of a long, drawn out groan from their fallen comrade. Turning to see her lift her head, she seemed dazed and confused. No doubt a symptom of maintaining her jutsu for too long. Shikamaru was the first to approach her, unapologetic in the way he frowned with disapproval.

"Jeez, take you long enough?" he commented with a sigh. His was the type that usually couldn't be bothered to get angry. That didn't mean he couldn't get annoyed. And watching Ino turn her dazed stare in his direction, she didn't even bother to pretend to be bashful, drawing her brows together in a pinched furl.

"Shikamaru?" she sounded perplexed. That was the first sign that something wasn't right. Jumping on the instinct immediately, Shikamaru's drawn expression pulled back and he watched the girl with renewed caution.

She didn't stand. Not right away. Instead she was holding her head in an attempt to stop the world from spinning. When that finally settled she looked back at her hand only to flinch at the alien appendage pretending to be her own. Her eyes immediately turned to the rest of her, long sharply legs and hips wrapped in purple with white bandages still visible underneath. It was finally when she looked down at her chest, eyebrows rising dramatically, that Sakura Haruno came to the conclusion that this was not her body.

Breath short and mind still dragged down by unconsciousness, Sakura's mind raced to remember what had happened prior to waking. But the memories were coming slow and muddled, enough that she had to piece each event to the other to make sense of it all.

Waking up that morning. Training with sensei. Their mission. Naruto… And that finally captured her attention, urging her to latch onto the moment as an island in a sea of confusion.

Naruto, she'd been telling him that she couldn't spend time with him today. A fact that had left her equally disappointed. Afterwards she'd set off towards her home, thoughts of her mother and an afternoon of confusingly concerned glances on the horizon only to feel her entire body lock up. She'd… she'd turned her head to see what was happening. Only to see… see-.

Sakura's slow recollection froze mid thought, a horrifyingly familiar sensation in her- Ino's crotch sending waves of sensation up and through her body. The strange and unwelcomed pleasure terrified the girl and she looked around for any kind of source. But left in an alley with two strange boys, neither of whom seemed capable of taking advantage in that way, the young woman found herself looking inward more than out.

Her mind was scrambled. But taking a moment to concentrate she understood that this, what she was feeling wasn't new. But had in fact been the thing to awaken her in the first place. Mind swallowed in darkness, the sensation of hands and fingers probing and pulling at her breasts had brought on the most embarrassingly humid dreams.

Part of her had recognized that these sensations were not all in her mind. But it was only now that she was awake that the girl recognized the very real touch of a hand traveling along her breasts. Her hands moved to cover the offended area, hoping to ward off the ghostly molestation. But even that couldn't stop whatever was happening to her body.

Ino's body. She knew that now. For whatever reason that pig of a girl had gone through the trouble of stealing her body. Only to run off and do god knows what. If she were allowed to actually think about her motivations, the pinkette might be a bit more worried. But at the moment she was still struggling to cope with the sensation of soggy bandages that Ino seemed to use instead pants!

"You're not Ino." Shikamaru's exhausted voice sighed the words, forcing Sakura to look up at his unhappy face. She was inclined to agree with the emotion, though her features were bit more pinched. Anger rolling off her as much as arousal.

Struggling to her feet, the sensitive sensation of her own genitals made it a difficult task. Ever present the ghostly sensations of hands on her body continued to wrack her form. Only to be joined by another. It was after a moment of deliberation that Sakura realized the pressure on her lips to mimic that of a kiss.

"No," she agreed, fists clenched angrily at her sides.

"You… probably want to know why Ino took your body."

"That would be nice, yes."

Staring into her burning blue orbs, Shikamaru decide that if Ino wanted Sakura's attention so bad, she'd gotten it. And that his responsibility ended the moment his face was placed in any kind of danger.

If these girls wanted to bite and scratch each other they were free to do it. With any luck, maybe they might actually manage to work something out this time. But knowing them, it wasn't likely.

"You're not going to be happy." he warned, already flinching. But Sakura just glared, earning another sigh. He opened his mouth.

Oh, she was _not_ happy.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so I feel like I should explain something that some people have expressed some concerns about. That being, the direction of this story and my decision to include other women into Naruto's life. But there is one thing that needs to be said.**

 **A lot of you seem afraid that me including other women is going to ruin the story. That I should either end the story here to make it a perfect Naruto x Sakura pairing or continue with just to two of them. And to that, I can do nothing to appease your fears other than to ask you to trust me.**

 **Trust that I will take the time and care with each other girl as I have with Sakura. Trust that I am with you in that I have been there reading all the horrible, clan restoration act, Namikaze compound, goofball to god, fanfictions that have been being written since the fandom began. And trust that will do everything in my power to write this harem how it should be written, and that I have the skills as a writer to achieve that.**

 **Can I really achieve this? To be honest I don't actually know. But I've managed this far, haven't I? All I'm asking is that you stick around to see. Or, if you're really stuck on the NaruSaku ending, stop reading now and consider the third chapter as the last one. I'll understand. As for everyone else…**

 **Next chapter:** Ino continues on her path to one up her rival and Sakura finds herself stuck in the middle of town feeling every kiss, suck, and touch going on in her stolen body. Will Naruto discover the girl he's with isn't his beloved Sakura? Or even worse, will he find himself liking this version of her even more?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Alright guys, here is another chapter. I wanna give a big thanks to everyone who commented, reviewed, etcetera. I know a lot of you have been somewhat put off by how long it takes for me to update. And, like usual, I will be addressing this topic at the end of the chapter for when you've finished reading. Along with a few other announcements I highly suggest checking out.**

 **But before that I would like everyone to welcome my new Beta who I so desperately needed. Lords of Ember Celica will be editing all my chapters from now on, and is even in the process of correcting past work. The first chapter has already been fixed and we will continue on towards the rest. Hopefully the difference is notable.**

 **Tag(s): Oral, Missionary, Public Arousal, Humiliation.**

 **Girl(s): Sakura, Ino**

 **Beta: Lords of Ember Celica**

 **Word Count: 12,302**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Ino feeling the blond's hand at her sex was honestly the point where she was beginning to question if she'd lost her mind. This was _way_ beyond her usual level of reckless behavior, the fact she was standing _naked_ in the shower with a boy being the perfect testament to this fact. But despite knowing that what she was doing was crazy, the youth couldn't find it in her to push him away.

No, in fact she pulled him _closer_. So dangerously close that he was just inches from that delicate place between her legs. And yet that _still_ wasn't enough.

Forget that it was Naruto, and forget that she was in Sakura's body. Her skin was still tingling from his ministrations and that had only been around her _breasts_. It intrigued her, and made her question what else he could do. And rather than let her mind and rationality measure the consequences of giving pursuit to these new emotions, Ino's heart was driven by the instincts that had crafted the young woman into who she was.

She wanted to experience this. The thrill of it was better than any shopping spree she'd ever thrown herself into. How quickly things were progressing, and the inevitable destination was of course on her mind. But whether she was actually going to have sex with him was still up in the air. For now her blood was burning in her veins and she could only hope his hands were the cure.

Naruto blinked wildly into the falling spray. For a second, he actually considered turning Sakura around to double check and make sure hadn't accidently grabbed another girl by mistake. But no, by now his hands knew Sakura's shape by heart. And what he was touching could only be his lovely sweetheart.

He still found himself taken aback by her boldness. Glancing down at her face, she smiled pleasantly as though she'd just asked him to pick up his dirty laundry or some other menial task. Not at all the sexual favor she'd actually requested.

Compared to the girl that normally refused to even admit to enjoying sex, it was more than a little incredible. Despite himself, Naruto was beginning to find himself genuinely enjoying this new Sakura. And his actions made that abundantly clear. Without a word his hands swallowed the final distance, eagerly searching out the folds and lips of her flushed sex.

He easily found his way, and enjoyed the slightly sticky texture of something other than tap water clinging to her soft petals. Meanwhile, 'Sakura' continued smiling up at him, innocent as ever. It only encouraged him to reach even further, the soft skin of her sex gliding under the rough pads of his fingers until he finally reached her waiting hole. This, finally, earned a reaction. And he was allowed to witness his girlfriend's eyes close in an unmistakable gasp of pleasure. Naruto's eyes however remained open, taking in her breathy and quivering expressions for as long as they would last.

Feeling Naruto's thick appendages search out the point of her want, the sensation of the callused digits forcing themselves inside her body left her groaning with satisfaction. With muscles much stronger than her own, she found herself tightening around him to increase the delicious friction. And the sensation of something rubbing inside her was as new as it was wonderful.

Naruto seemed to know exactly where to touch, even the smallest of twitches sending wonderful sparks throughout her pelvis. For the first time she found herself happy Naruto had stuck so close to her back because without him to lean on, she wasn't sure how long her legs would hold out.

Ino's face stretched into a long, basking grin. Eyes closed, the shower's spray pelted her face as she could feel each droplet trail down her sensitive skin. From her face to her neck, down her collarbone and shoulders where they would either trail down her breast and flat stomach or her curved back and supple ass.

The pressure of Naruto's fingers pushing past her folds in strong sure motions. The especially filling sensation that stretched her walls made itself known as he dared a second digit. More than prepared, Ino's back arced from the attention, her breast jutting out until their pointed tips were pelted in the shower's spray. Now peppering the flushed surface, each rivet of water felt like a bullet of pleasure drilling through her skin and directly into her core.

Her fingers bit into the blond's arm, nails bearing into the toned muscles each time he managed to reach further up into her channel. The deeper penetration left her lungs empty and heart racing. Before she knew what was happening, the heavy breathing that had been drowned out by the showers water changed, becoming sharper and higher pitched, like nothing she'd ever thought she'd hear from her own mouth.

Naruto stopped for a moment, his excited smile now impossibly huge as he listened to Sakura moan. Muffled squeaks and the occasional grunt were all the girl normally was willing to give him. But whatever had happened to make her become so bold, also seemed to loosen her lips. The actual sound of her pleasure echoed in the small space of their tub. More than encouraged, Naruto redoubled his efforts eager to hear even more.

Ino's purring expression fell after a few minutes of Naruto's attention. No less enjoyable, a tightening in her gut demanded her attention as the familiar sensations of an orgasm began to tighten her innards. Winding, the pressure in her sex seemed to rule her mind. The same reason urged her hips against the blond's grasping fingers, the pulsing nub at the top of her cleft grinding against his palm. The added stimulation proved to be too much, and Ino felt her green eyes snap open in her release.

Coiled tight in her belly, a wave of pleasurable tingles arched up her spine and down through her toes. The added benefit of having Naruto still firmly lodged in her quivering channel made the sensations that much more powerful.

Bearing down on the fingers as if it's what she was born to do, she let her femininity take over and guide her through the pleasure as her hips jerked and shook. Still burning her veins, the young teen was forced to acknowledge that the blond was actually the _cause_ of her affliction, rather than a cure. But never had it felt so good to feel herself set ablaze.

Gasping through her bout, the resounding sensation slowly began to decline and the gap between crests grew. Finally, after what seemed like a full minute of twitching, the breaths she'd been holding left her in a rush, immediately following a sudden spell of lightheadedness. But even in this foggy, pleasure ridden state the girl had enough mind to conjure, _'way better than my fingers…'_

In the steam riddled shower the constant vibrations of water hitting tile was only interrupted by the deep, desperate breaths still filling Ino's young chest. Half lidded, her mind still seemed to be off on some distant cloud of pleasure. Leaving her body to rest against the solid frame of Naruto who dutifully held her up from the floor. When her mind finally did catch up, she found herself unsure of what was supposed to be there.

"Wow," that dominated the space more than anything else. Because, _wow_. And that just about summed it up. In her young life she could honestly say nothing had ever felt as good as Naruto Uzumaki's fingers. A concept she would have laughed at just an hour ago. But that now seemed to strike at her very core. Limbs heavy and sluggish, she regained enough coordination to turn and look up at the other blond, craning to look over her shoulder. And what she saw actually stopped her breath.

Still smiling, his expression had relaxed from its normally stressed size to something gentler. Matching the emotion, his eyes stared down at her with a kind of affection Ino had never seen before even on her own face. It spoke of more than simple infatuation or crushes; it seemed real in a way that left her unable to look away. All of it was framed by his bright, golden locks heavy from the falling water.

For the first time in her life, she found herself looking at someone other than Sasuke and felt her heart race. All of this finally came to a head when his lips moved to capture her own.

Out there on the couch his lips had been forceful and brutish; not to mention chapped. Now Ino could feel a sense of possessiveness that left her feeling wanted and cherished. She could feel how much the blond needed her, how much he wanted her, and it was almost too much for her to process. How could she when vapid, superficial love was all she knew?

Cautiously at first, her lips moved against his. He tasted of the water that slipped between their lips, mixing with their combined saliva and forcing her to drink it down. The effect left her stomach warm and comfortable. Turning around her arms moved to pull herself against the young man.

 _'Was this what Sakura had been talking about?'_ Ino wondered. In the middle of the street she'd talked about how Naruto had made her feel. At the time the blonde had thought it was just all talk. But feeling his hands pull her against his chest and tasting the need of him as he pulled at her lips, she could actually feel what Sakura had been taking about. She basked in it, clung to it; to the point she even forgot for a moment who it was she was pretending to be. But pulling away, Naruto's words would force that reality back around her.

Ino sighed into the kiss, fingers clutching at his arm still wrapped so protectively around her as his tongue eventually returned to invade the small space of her mouth. Slightly deluded, the salt rich taste of ramen was still strong enough to give the girl a full blast of flavor. But this time she found herself welcoming it.

"Heh," Naruto gave a chuckle pulling away. Smiling, Ino gave him an inquisitive look, to which he just blushed. "You're so different today," he mused, though not in any way that frowned. Ino took the comment with a flash of worry. One she smothered with a grin.

"Well, us girls need to have our secrets every now and then." She brushed it off. Still, a part of her nagged at the back of her mind as she found herself continuing despite knowing better, "do you… not like it?" she offered. And though she appeared only somewhat interested, in truth her heart once again thundered in her chest with anticipation.

Naruto seemed to think for a moment, eyes squinting in concentration. But when he answered his tone was as light and joyful as ever. "Sure I like it!" and Ino's heart thumped wildly. But he wasn't done. "But I like other Sakura-chan too." Her stomach dropped.

Slightly more perturbed, her expression remained light with just a few cracks disrupting her mask. Pressing her hand against his pecs, she allowed her fingers to trace small circles in the water coursing down his chest. "Okay," she started carefully, "but say you had to choose one. Just for some weird reason, which do you prefer?" Now Naruto really had to scratch his head.

 _'Choose?'_ It didn't really make sense. And even if it did, he found himself somewhat troubled by the decision. On one hand, the Sakura up till now might be a little grumpy, but she was also super cute in her own way. Even if she thought he couldn't see her pretending not to enjoy herself, all he needed to do was look in her eyes to see the affection she tried to hide. That being said, he found himself enjoying this part of her as well. Not only was she lots of fun, but it felt kind of nice seeing her so bright and cheery. Caught between two difficult choices, Naruto simply did what he does best and made his own.

"Both!" he answered brightly. When Ino frowned, he didn't let it affect him; instead pulling her against him to feel her soft wet body. "I like you no matter how you act. I'll always stay by your side, remember?"

Instead of inspiring a flush of warm butterflies in her stomach like he'd intended, the same black substance from before made itself known, souring and rolling like she'd swallowed a beetle. Regardless, she allowed herself to be held. Face drawn and eyes pinched in undeniable displeasure. This lasted a handful of moments until a thought came to mind. One that inspired a special kind of smile that would have left a certain shinobi sighing the word, 'troublesome'.

Poor Naruto had no idea what he was in for when she pulled away, a sickly sweet smile beaming in his direction. "Hey, Naruto-kun?" she prompted. And Naruto smiled in answer. "What would you say if I told you we should see other people?" And just like that Naruto's expression froze, slowly dropping like the last beams of light of a setting sun.

 _'Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, what the hell is so great about her anyway?'_ It made Ino's teeth hurt just hearing him talk about her. Well, he wasn't so lovey dovely now, was he?

Confusion more than anything else seemed to claim his face as he took a step back to look at her. Ino let her smile grow enough to flash her pearly white teeth. "Look, Naruto. It's been fun. Really. But I mean, don't you think you could do better? You might be a little on the rough side. But there's potential there. Way more than a girl like me deserves." But Naruto didn't listen to her words. And after a moment, it was Ino's turn to look confused as the bright and handsome features she'd just been admiring darkened into a harder mask.

"wha-?"

"You can't leave me." Naruto's voice rang over the shower's spray firm and strong. The statement left her blinking. Both from the fact he thought he could just _tell_ her that, as well as a differing, more confusing sensation in the back of her mind. "You don't want anyone else, there isn't anyone else. You only want me to be your boyfriend. Only me. Forever, okay?" Panic bleeding into his tone. Ino could only stare into his piercing blue orbs while feeling her throat tighten.

 _'What… what am I doing?'_ The weight of the question threatened to crumble her mask as she was forced to take a long hard look at herself. In the shower with the boyfriend of the person she had once cared about. Even worse, she'd gone out of her way to hurt that person, all at the expense of the poor boy who now stared at her with a fear she'd never before seen. It left her blinking, hurt. And all she could do was wonder why she had allowed the day to go so far.

The sensation in her stomach answered for her, tight and ugly. It was only after a moment that she was able to understand what had been haunting her the entire day. Jealousy, of _Sakura_. That she'd found a boy who loved her this much. One who cared for her and loved her for more than just her looks. Who, at the mere mention of her leaving, left him in a near panic.

She wanted that. And that's why it seemed to hurt so much each time he looked at her in that special, heart fluttering way. Because she knew it wasn't for her. It was for another girl. A girl she had always thought to be her sidekick.

And why? For what? It left her wanting, a hollow sensation in the back of her heart as she tried to make sense of all of her actions. It was with a start that the answer bloomed to life. Her eyes turned back towards the blond filled with a kind of wonder.

 _Did_ she want Naruto to be her boyfriend? Even thinking the words left her warm and nervous. Her heart seemed to flutter at the very thought and a new kind heat rose to her cheeks. It sounded impossible, but looking at him now she was finding her affections all kinds of twisted. But at the end of the long maze, the answer was as true and unavoidable as anything inherently true in the world. Yes.

She didn't want him to look at Sakura like that. She wanted him to look at _her_ like that. Full of love and care, and to make all the same promises. Sasuke… Sasuke seemed like a distant memory all of a sudden. A ghost of an emotion that had only been proved as such after she was able to experience what it truly felt like to be loved. The effect left her breathless, and stepping towards the panicking boy Ino put on a comforting expression.

"H-Hey," she started, and watched him watch her bring her hands up to cup his cheeks. He seemed to calm a bit at her touch, but the furled wrinkle in the middle of his brow remained. "It was a joke," she explained, offering a comforting grin urging him to relax. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. How could any girl even think about leaving a guy as great as you?" Naruto took a few deep breaths, searching her face for…something, but what she couldn't tell.

Whether he believed her or not, he apparently decided it didn't matter; choosing instead to capture her lips with his own. Ino melted into the embrace; the bittersweet sensations of having him hold her so closely lingering with the knowledge that it still wasn't actually for _her_. Now that she understood the tightness in her stomach it did little to sooth the sickness. But she couldn't say she was unhappy with the results either.

She wasn't Sakura, but she was. At least for today. And what better opportunity to explore these new emotions?

Her devious smile returned, but this time with the intent of good instead of evil. That said, drawing her hand from his cheek, she allowing it to trail over the tight skin of his chest and stomach before settling on the still half hard erection pressing against her.

"Let me take care of that for you," she offered, eyes glittering as she watched him pull back. Nervous, she could see the arousal still lingering, hungry for her. It was that which gave her the confidence to lower herself down his body, the angle of her knees crouching against the hard tiles. Like this she found herself face to face with the blond's penis, a daunting and exciting view dangling mere inches from her face.

So close, Ino couldn't help but take a moment to admire what rested in her palm. Throughout her 'studies' the young kunoichi had caught more than a glimpse at what to expect from the opposite sex. That being said, a picture in a magazine and real life proved yet again to be like night and day.

The sheer sexuality the image of her kneeling before his cock conjured returned it to its turgid state. Long and hard in her hand, Ino gave a few experimental pumps, marveling at the soft, hard texture that flexed under fingers. Even more, its bright red head remained pointed at her face, a small amount clear liquid standing apart from the rest of his body's runoff.

Ino wasn't stupid. Seeing Sakura run out of that alley covered in jizz, her pants had still been firmly in place. Which meant the clever thing had decided to use another method to reward her boyfriend. Thankfully, Ino found herself giddy to step up to the plate and give it a go herself.

She kissed its tip, smiling as soon as the spongy surface slipped between her pursed lips. The salty fluid immediately splashed across her tongue, ironically familiar to the taste of his kiss. Rather than shrink away, the young girl found herself fascinated. Her first real venture into the adult world happening on her knees and attempting to pleasure a boy with her mouth. This thought thrilled her like nothing else. And regaining her stamina with surprising speed, the tender flesh of her sex reawakened as its petals flushed and swelled sweetly.

She took it one inch at time, tactfully allowing her mouth to trace lines up and down the many veins lining the turgid shaft. The effect was met with obvious approval from her new lover who groaned openly. Her green eyes gazed upward, watching him gleefully and it encouraged her to go further. Deep in her mouth, the bulbous head swelled and she could feel it near the back of her throat. Her research had warned her of just this moment; to be careful going further than she was prepared or experienced enough to take. But relaxing the muscles guarding her throat she surprised the blond by forcing herself even further.

Her research had said not to take more than she was prepared for, or experienced to take. Many hours of practice and more soggy bananas than she would ever admit to using had seen to that problem being solved.

Naruto Uzumaki was going to be hers. That was just a fact in Ino's mind as she felt the uncomfortable sensation of the Naruto's member occupying such a small space. She wouldn't make the mistake of trying to trick him in Sakura's body, oh no. But that didn't mean she couldn't take this time to learn all his dirty little secrets and build the perfect strategy to snatch him away from Forehead. That in mind, the blonde allowed her lips to seal around his base, her gentle suction drawing even more blood into his stressed staff.

Naruto felt his breath stop, pleasure of a different kind stealing his legs out from under him while Ino's head bobbed in his lap with growing familiarity. It was her first time, so it was difficult to grow entirely accustomed to the sensation of something battering the back of her throat. Naruto couldn't help but take notice of the enthusiasm his girlfriend was putting into the act. And, while always pleasurable, he's yet to see her so ready or willing for this kind of thing…or much of anything physical if he was being honest.

Usually frowning and grumbling the whole time, now she was attacking him with a smile on her face and a light in her eyes. Speaking of which, glancing down he felt himself jerk at the bright green orbs glimmering in his direction. The connection startled him, to the point he couldn't look away. Ino decided to top the moment off with a wink, completing the picture. Naruto stared for a moment longer before allowing his slacked features to drift towards the bare white wall.

Today was a weird day…

Blowjobs, as it turned out, were far less fun than she had been led to believe. Ino came to this conclusion just three minutes in of swallowing the blond's meat, her jaw aching and throat sore from the constant ramming.

That being said, the results made up for the discomfort as she was getting to watch her future boyfriend's face twist and wince in pleasure. Not wanting to disappoint, or loose to her rival, she was determined to see him reach his end.

The young woman was about to get her wish a bit earlier than she'd anticipated, enthusiasm and determination more than making up for her lack of familiarity with the rod. The tightening in his groin resounded through his body, and Naruto's fists begin to tighten at his side.

A familiar gesture and one the real Sakura had long since learned to be her only warning before he blew his load. Oblivious to this, the blonde continued on his staff with the speed and eagerness that had brought him to this point, her reward being a full and filling blast of his juices right into her open mouth.

Pooling in the back of her throat the girl started choking from the sudden burst, barely managing a gasp between the mouthful of meat and seed. Stopping herself in a moment's breath, she held her head against his staff intent on waiting it out. Once again she found herself regretting her bold decision, as the real flavor of his seed began to spread across her tongue.

The clear watery substance before had been just a bit salty with an underlying taste of something far more unpleasant. Now receiving the same substance, but in concentrate, Ino's nose curled in displeasure. And she fought just to keep her lips around his shaft. But she was determined to show Naruto, as well as herself that she could do it. Especially if Sakura had been this entire time. That being said when the stream finally tapered and she was able to pull away waiting to see if it had at least been worth the effort, she wasn't disappointed with what she saw.

The image of Naruto's face openly gasping was almost enough to cleanse her pallet. It left a sense of victory seizing her slim form. This was proof that Sakura wasn't the only one that could make him happy and that she had more than what it took. Tonight Naruto might go to sleep thinking about Sakura's face, but it would be the last, or her name wasn't Ino Yamanaka.

Smiling to herself, there was still the issue of the bitter cream sticking to the roof of her mouth. The thickness and sticky consistency was worse than the taste itself. Nevertheless, seeing as how he'd came in her mouth she decided there was really only one thing she was supposed to do with it. And so, figuring it to be the norm between her rival and Naruto, Ino tilted her had back and allowed the viscous slime to roll down her throat and into her stomach. The aftertaste left behind was no less unpleasant.

Naruto remained unaware of the event, still struggling to stand in the aftermath of his girlfriend's attention.

Ino rose to her feet, cheery cheeked and tickled pink at the thought of affecting the boy so much. Glancing down, she figured she would see him limp and satisfied but was surprised to find him as hard as when she'd started. This both pleased and surprised her.

She was sure that she'd read somewhere that it was supposed to go soft for a little while after cumming. But in reality, this didn't change much if anything of her plans. And steeling herself against his chest, his arms naturally wrapped around her body and held her against him. She beamed at the attention.

"Think you can go again?" she asked him, mostly rhetorically. Even then she could feel him pressed between their stomachs, hot and ready to do all the naughty things she'd dreamed about. Naruto opened his eyes to see her watching him, pleased and smiling with anticipation. Finally deciding to just stop question her new and vigorous take on their relationship, he could only smile back. The small and terrifying moment of Sakura leaving him all but repressed to enjoy the rest of their time together.

When Naruto nodded his head, Ino felt her heart soar and her stomach drop. Like any young woman, the prospect of her first time was always an anxious event. Ino knew what to expect if she was in her own body. The pain, the discomfort, all of which would stop from really enjoying the moment. If any man was going to make her into a woman, it was Naruto. And she understood that now. But even more, she wanted some clue as how to best please him when dealing with the pain of her first time.

She would steal him from Sakura, to Ino the fact was as true as it was innate. Like people needed to breath or flowers were beautiful. It just went without saying. But when he was able to make love to her real body, she was determined to make it a night he would never forget. And you know what they say, practice makes perfect.

 ***Konoha Market***

Sakura was going to kill Ino. Not in a playful, 'oh you rascal,' kind of way. But slow, painful, murder.

On the way to find where her body had walked off to the phantom sensations she'd been feeling had gone up a notch, several by her standards. Stuck in the middle of the road in broad daylight, one can imagine feeling yourself being penetrated would come off as surprising and possibly even unsettling. It was thanks to this however, that Sakura was finally able to understand just what the hell was happening and where her body was.

The deep thrusts, the taste of faded ramen in her mouth, as well as the sensation of fingers gripping her ass were all just a bit too familiar. She realized that whatever was causing this was connected to Naruto in some way. And considering what Shikamaru had told her, it didn't take her level of intelligence to figure out the fact that Ino was fucking her boyfriend.

Why? She could say, but she didn't particularly care either. Not any more than what will get her out of the streets and her hands around Ino's pretty little neck. That being said, even that amount of effort was not easily achieved. Not while her legs and lower half continued to quiver in the aftermath of her explosive pleasure.

Of all the times she'd wished for larger breasts, actually having them left much to be desired. Besides the obvious inconvenience of their size and weight pulling on her aching shoulders and back, Sakura was horrified by just how much they moved around while walking. Even under the tight compression of Ino's bandages, a poor substitute for actual underwear Sakura found, the jiggling and wobbling was maddening, made only worse by their hardened tips.

Each step pulled them against the fabric, sending small sparks of pleasure throughout the full and surprisingly sensitive mounds. On top of being cumbersome a radiating warmth had spread through the supple flesh. Combined this resulted in her walking like a drunkard, her legs weak and pelvis numb. She could feel the resulting wetness drooling down the inside of her thighs and soaking the pathetic excuse for panties Ino called bandages. The only solace she found was that when the people walking past looked at her rosy cheeks and sweat stained face, it was Ino's that greeted them. And that any reputation gained (or lost) at the end of the day would rest solely on _her_ shoulders.

Stiffing her heavy breathing and helpless moans, she'd made decent progress. But of course, standing in a crowd of people, whatever effort she'd put up to appear normal was dashed the moment she felt her insides clench and accumulated wetness suddenly surge from between her legs. She fell to her knees without warning, earning more than one suspicious glance from the stream of people passing her by.

Until that day, Sakura could honestly say that all of her orgasms had been pleasant, if a bit embarrassing. But then she'd never had one before in front of total strangers. Falling to her knees, she could only clutch her stomach, teeth clenched as she attempted to ride it out. The crotch and insides of her thighs were all but ruined with the blonde's juices by this point, a thought that truly disgusted her.

Try as she might to stay quiet, a long groan had followed the unwelcomed climax. Enough that a person who could recognize the signs of a young woman enjoying herself just a bit too much would recognize what was happening. Thankfully she'd managed to squeak by with only a few confused glances, and one knowing grin from a particularly scantily clad kunoichi dressed in a trench coat of all things. Those brown eyes filled with laughter were bad enough, but if there had been any doubt that the woman knew what was going on, her salacious wink put them to rest. And yet even _that_ wasn't the worst part.

What truly made Sakura's stomach churn was the _smell_. Wafting from her in waves of musk, the particular aroma of Ino's arousal hung around her like a cloud, making it all but impossible to ignore the familiar scent of womanly juices. Of all the things Sakura had learned about her friend in her lifetime, that particular fact she could have gone without.

Struggling to her feet, she decided that it would just have to be one more reason to give to the police after she was through with the person she had once called friend and explaining why she had so brutally murdered a fellow kunoichi of the village. With that she struggled to her feet to continue onwards, one step at a time.

 ***Naruto's Apartment***

Ino was the first to step out the shower, gingerly reaching for a nearby towel to dry the beads of water still clinging to her pinked warm skin. Naruto joined her a moment later, happily watching all the movements and gestures of her naked body as she went through the motions. Her hair especially seemed to take a moment. But naked as the day they were born both young teens strolled into fresh air of Naruto's apartment, skin covered in gooseflesh from the cool, dry air.

Without a second thought or care for tidiness of any sort Ino tossed the towel to the floor as soon as she could no longer feel water droplets down her back. The effect left her with a new kind of nervousness, a kind of exposure that left her already quivering stomach tightening. Keeping her eyes bright, she turned to look at her blond partner whose eyes were already focused on her glistening body. Seeing the appreciative gleam erased any of her insecurities and only further cemented the goal of one day seeing that expression through her own eyes as he gazed upon _her_ body. But this would have to do.

For now.

Her heart fluttered in her chest but she couldn't find it in herself to do anything about it. Her first time, a moment every girl dreamed of, and yet she found herself unaware of how to respond. Thankfully, Naruto was always more than willing to take the initiative, moving toward the girl completely unaware of the weight of the moment. Yet in a way that alone helped to calm her, taking safety in the knowledge she would be cared for by someone who was so sure in their actions. When his arms encircled her, she closed her eyes and welcomed his lips with hers.

Rinsing her mouth out multiple times had all but eliminated the sticky, bitter and salty flavor from her mouth and allowed her to appreciate the uniqueness that was the blond's tongue and everything it did to her own. Filling her and licking at her own delicate pink appendage she answered back as best she could. A job Naruto deemed satisfactory if his groan was anything to go by. Without breaking contact, the two somehow managed to coordinate their movements enough to stumble towards the small single mattress in the corner of the room. And feeling the soft covers pressing against her naked backside along with the now welcome weight of her partner settle on top of her, Ino took a special moment just to embrace the fact of what was happening.

Not because of Sakura, not as some spiteful need to once again prove herself, not even really because of Naruto. But because of her, and because it was something she wanted and she needed. And oh god did she need it.

Between her legs warmth had bloomed and only increased and intensified as the blond's hands roamed over her body. He seemed to enjoy her breasts especially, a fact that lifted her spirits to no end given her own bodies far more generous mounds. But it never lasted too long before she could feel the telltale squeeze of fingers sinking into her bottom.

She tried to return the gestures as best she could. Inexperienced, she found her curiosity driving her more than anything else.

Her hands trailed along the toned surface of his chest and stomach, the firm suppleness as delightful as it was tantalizing. Her lips stretched into a smile around their kiss, unable to help the appreciative reaction.

Naruto, underneath his big puffy jacket, had more going for him than she'd originally been led to believe. And it left her wondering if a certain pale eyed heiress might have taken a peek somewhere along the line with those all seeing eyes of hers. Seeing her watch Naruto all throughout the academy had been creepy to say the least...however if _this_ is what she'd actually been staring at, or better yet what was currently pressed against the inside of her thigh, then, well, who could really blame her? Speaking of…

Ino gave a fretful sigh feeling the focus of her attention slide closer to her femininity. The thought that something so long or big could actually fit _inside_ her was still an impressive one, but she found herself anxious to find out for herself. Her patience was finally rewarded as Naruto pulled back and out of her open lips.

He wiped the spit away, eyes squinting under his own grin and Ino stared up at him with the same kind of excitement. Between the valley of her breasts, she looked between their bodies to the veined tube of flesh poised at her opening and felt her heart lurched at the sight. Stifling the emotion, she allowed her legs to open even further, the slick petals of her dewy sex parting open as a result. Defenseless, and completely at the boys mercy, Ino could only wait for the blond to drive his member into her waiting hole.

Planning to watch his organ disappearing into her body, Ino's eyes turned towards Naruto's face instead. Below, his hand circled his member, aiming its enflamed head towards her puffy lips. That fact should have been startling, even worrying for most girls. But all Ino could think was that she'd never seen such a wonderful shade of blue.

She felt it first, the pressure of something pushing against the muscles guarding her opening. The effect left her gasping and her hands immediately moved to grip the strong pillars of his arms braced on each side of her. The pressure didn't yield, instead increasing until the swollen head finally pushed past up into her body. The impossible moment was made only sweeter by the sudden and euphoric clenching of her future boyfriend's face.

Her grip tightened and she found the small of her back arching as if it had a mind of its own. The new angle made his progress that much easier, allowing his member to invade the now familiar tightness that he'd come to love oh so much. Poor Ino had hardly a moment to grow accustom to the new feeling before the sudden fullness of her insides was withdrawn; only to be shoved right back inside.

For Naruto it was just another afternoon of making love to his girlfriend. Beginning at the practiced pace they'd both grown use to, he had no idea what the onslaught of new and wonderful sensations was doing to the virgin below him. Doing her best to simply hold on, her face pinched into a slight grimace while her breathing grew desperate of its own accord. Nevertheless, despite the near sensation overload, the young woman couldn't deny it was incredible.

Her hips rolled each time his lap slapped against the backs of her thighs. The vibrations rippled through her body to collect right at the point of her clit. The rhythmic thumping of his erection reaching so deep inside of her, further than her own fingers and more than she'd ever attempted on her own. It was fascinating really. But each time she even tried to pay attention and appreciate the tingling racing up her spine she found herself assaulted by another three. That in of itself made the act that much more enjoyable. A never ending peek that only climbed and she was helpless to do anything but be swept away.

For Naruto's part, he was finding himself equally enthralled by their day's activity. A kind of electricity that had to build, sparking between him and the girl wrapped around his length. Having sex with Sakura had always been enjoyable. But this… this felt new.

He could say it was any number of things, from the way she bucked against his invading member or how she seemed to be determined to squeezing the life out of his dick, but something about today had felt different. Hell, everything about his girlfriend today seemed off. But there was no denying the pleasure he could feel spreading through his system. Or the fever that seemed to be taking hold of him, urging him to move faster and thrust deeper into her soft body. Before either of them knew it, a fine layer of sweat covered their bodies, saturating the skin they'd just dried moments ago with humid sweat.

Ino rang Sakura's voice throughout the apartment in a way that would no doubt result in multiple complaints from the apartments directly adjacent to his. Unlike Sakura, her blonde counterpart held _no_ qualms in telling the blond exactly what he was doing to her.

Quick, short whimpers of approval escaped her lips only to be cut short by the fleshy impact of their bodies. Biting down on her lip the need for air eventually overwhelmed her, allowing her lugs to gasp for the precious element. All of it leading to one wonderful moment.

Ino felt the familiar tightening sensation in her belly, but so much more powerful than ever before. Almost by reflex her thighs wrapped around his waist, locking her ankles together to make _sure_ she reached her peak. Gasping with his every thrust and moaning each time he withdrew, she could do little to warn the boy riding on top of her except the biting sting of her nails into his bulging forearm. Too lost in his own bliss the small pricking only heightened his pleasure, the steady tightening of her inner muscles and copious juices finally pushing the building cum from his balls into her waiting body.

Ino gasped feeling the sudden splurge of semen coating her insides. Out of everything, this moment stood apart from the rest, forcing her eyes open and to dance around the room. Hot and sticky the same gunk that had tasted so foul traveling down her throat now stained the inside of Sakura's body, collecting in the very back of her channel in a pool of heat and pleasure. Thighs quivering around his hips and breath freezing in her chest, her face turned a lovely shade of pink as she found herself experience the most powerful orgasm of her young life.

The delicious heat in her lap began to spread throughout her extremities. Toes curling from the experience, she could swear colors flashed behind her clenched eyes. Though, that could easily have been from the lack of air she was currently holding hostage in her lungs. Remaining in this position, her back arched off the bed and the small mounds of her breast jiggled with each tremor. She clenched and unclenched every muscle in her body as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. Finally, she fell into a comfortable, boneless heap that seemed to melt into the natural lumps and groves of the old mattress.

It was impressive how quickly Ino found herself changing her mind about something she'd thought she knew so much about. The magazines, the scrolls, the novels, even the pillow books, they'd said _nothing_ about this. Fifty three ways to make sure your man can't walk tomorrow. Seven aromas to keep your man chasing you. Forty seven clues to know what he wants. They were all just words now. Words for stupid little girls who thought they knew everything. She'd been so sure of herself, but it was no wonder Sakura had been able to look so damn smug! If anything she was being modest by Ino's own estimation.

This… this was sex. One simple, three letter word that somehow was able to encapsulate everything that had just happened.

How many times had she lain up at night picturing this exact moment with the face of another looming over her body? And how different those two appearances ended up being. Bright blue eyes in place of mysterious dark ones; skin that was tan from daily exercise and living outdoors rather than cool and pale from a life of brooding and studying ancient manuscripts. Overall, Ino was finding herself growing more attached to former, a prospect that left her cheeks aching from the size of her grin.

She lay like for some time, smiling like an idiot while blood raced through her veins. Her fingers and toes tingled to the point of feeling numb, heart hammering in her chest while her inner walls continued to give the odd spasm and tremor. She wanted to giggle like she was a little girl again, so ironic considering how zealously she'd chased after this proof of adulthood. And yet that was the only way she could explain her emotions right then. As the child she had been chasing fireflies in the forests around their village, or riding atop her father's shoulders to watch the fireworks of the yearly festival honoring the Fourth's sacrifice. It was comfortable and warm and without any kind of warning the blonde haired girl couldn't help but fall for the blond resting on top of her, if a bit, of her own volition.

"Wow!" the blond cheered as he rolled over to lay next to her, so out of place, and yet so him that the bubble of laughter in Ino's belly finally burst. She answered his call with the tinkling bells of her own joy. She craned her head enough to look at his shocked expression, her muscles already aching with the wonderful joy of orgasmic exertion.

"Not bad I take it?" she said between long heavy breathes. The blond answered her question with a wide eyed look that only had her smiling more.

"Wow!" was his answer. And Ino laughed despite herself.

Relaxing against the bed, the girl was surprised when Naruto's arm swept over her stomach, pulling her closer until she was pressed against his still damp chest. Blushing, the gesture was more intimate that she had been expecting, but nice never the less. Allowing her head to fall against him, she closed her eyes and welcomed the moment of peace.

This was… nice. More than nice actually. Feeling the steady beat of his heart against her back, she curled against him, closing her eyes to enjoy how it felt to be held in the arms of someone who loved her.

 _This_ is what she wanted, it really was. Dreams of dramatic loves and daring romances that she'd carried through prepubescence came to mind. But in comparison to the reality that she had just experienced, she knew it was _this_ that really mattered. Unfortunately, like a cruel god perched upon his mountain and watching the toiling of his mortals below, she began to consider the possibility of it all being taken away.

Jealousy, the hideous twin that mirrored love reared its ugly head. She could be as confident as she wanted but the fact remained that Naruto loved _Sakura_ , quite a bit if his tender hold of her was anything to go by. Sure she was beautiful, but it didn't take someone with the pinkette's IQ to figure out just who the one male NOT to vote for her as the sexiest kunoichi in their class was. Because seeing the way he looked at her, loving the way he touched her, it only further proved how little room there was for her in his heart.

And just like that her perfect honeymoon-esque atmosphere evaporated, replaced by the cold reality that was love. It was strange, especially because she only really knew the guy for a few hours. But in that time she'd grown… attached to him. Very attached. As impossible as it was to explain it was like she couldn't even imagine herself with anybody else. She didn't even _want_ to at this point.

Ino frowned before taking a moment to reflect on this fact. Feeling the negative emotions start to weigh on her, she turned over and pressed her face into his chest to bask in his comfort. Solid and warm, something else captured her attention; a momentary break from the uncharacteristic bout of insecurity. That being, the still hard erection slick with her cum pressed between their bodies.

A moment of surprise took her before a long grin fell into place. Her man had stamina to boot; Sakura really _did_ know to pick them.

She thought about dwelling on the worries that had soured her mood...but more sex just seemed like so much more fun. Her body was sore and still slightly groggy, but she figured that wasn't anything another injection of vitamin Uzumaki couldn't cure. And the more she thought about it, the more she found herself favoring the idea. After all, if worse came to worse this really was the last chance she would get to have sex with him. Was one round _really_ all she wanted to get out of the day? Her growing wetness said not.

She pulled away, her eyelashes fluttering and smile sweet as honey. When Naruto opened his eyes to look at her, he was surprised not to find her already asleep. She normally went out so fast after finding her release that he didn't have the chance to do anything but watch her resting. Not that he minded, watching his Sakura sleeping peacefully was something he'd come to enjoy a great deal. Instead, he watched Sakura pull herself from his side and crawl over him until her small body was perched atop his own; his cock sandwiched between the lips of her pussy and trapped against his belly.

With the same devious smile that had signaled the start of this entire day, as well as everything else she knew was against her better judgment, she leaned over him. "So, boyfriend, think you can go for one more round?" she asked, grinding her hips ever so slightly.

 ***Outside Apartment Complex***

Seeing the now familiar sight of Naruto's apartment complex Sakura offered up a small prayer to whatever deity was listening.

Out of breath and covered in sweat, the normally perfectly composed figure of Ino Yamanaka had been reduced to a complete mess. Even her long, platinum blonde hair usually so uniform had been pulled from her high pony tail and now fell around her clenched face in a nest of tangled locks.

The first time had been bad enough, but Ino was apparently more of a whore than Sakura had given her credit for. As if having sex with her boyfriend _once_ wasn't enough she'd been forced to suffer through two humiliating orgasms while people stood by to watch. And this time she hadn't been able to just pick herself back up and shuffle on. She was exhausted, pissed, and more than a little lightheaded.

This was _so_ much more than insulting her clothes and trying to put her down, this crossed a line, it was wrong. And once she got her hands on Ino she was finally going to show her what happened when you fucked with a Haruno.

But first, she had to get to Naruto, warn him, and explain what was going on.

She took another haggard step towards the building, preparing herself for the harrowing staircase.

 ***Naruto's Apartment***

Naruto stared up through wide blue eyes, his mouth opened, but no words came out. Instead, he found himself taken by the sight of his girlfriend's body, flushed, glistening with sex and still just as eager for more as he was. He could feel her slick crotch against his own, shifting back and forth in a slow humping motion. She seemed to be trying to tease him back to his full length, a task easily accomplished.

Stuck staring at the hardened nubs of her breasts as they stood stubbornly from her body; Naruto's reaction wasn't anything like how Ino had been expecting. Instead of a sexy grin or an excited smile, a frown found its way onto his face. Hers soon matched.

"What's wrong?" she asked doing her best to keep the worry from her voice. Against his chest she moved her open palms, caressing the toned muscles that were already building beneath his lightly tanned skin. The texture and sensation was pleasant for both them, and Ino could take solace from the hard wedge of flesh pressing between her open legs. But still Naruto's face remained stubbornly forlorn.

His hands moved to catch hers. "Hey," he started, nervous and fidgeting. He looked conflicted, and even a little scared. Nothing at all like what he'd been just moments before. "Um, you can stop. Alright? I just, I… I don't want you to force yourself or anything." Eyes flickering towards her face, his eyes shown with concern. And Ino hated how much her heart clenched at the sight of it.

"Enough of that alright," she smiled, tight and far less attractive than her honest joy. "Come on, we were having fun, right? Let's keep going. I'm not forcing anything. I want to feel you inside me." Punctuating this point, she bore her full weight unto the underside of his shaft, feeling her moist lips spread on either side of him. And his expression opened accordingly. _'There we go.'_

"This isn't like you!" Naruto exclaimed before he could get caught up in the warm, wet sensations of Sakura's body. New sweat formed on his brow and his hands settled around her budding hips to keep her still. "This isn't like the Sakura-chan I know, and I can't keep pretending that it is. Even if part of me does kind of enjoy it. I want to know what's wrong!"

A stubborn expression filled his features and Ino could only blink as she was suddenly thrown from her perch above his body and onto the soft bed covers. Instead, Naruto took her place, hovering above her and mere inches from her face. There, he stared deep into her eyes, searching and unyielding in a way that finally shut the talkative girl up.

"You've been acting strange all day, really strange. At first I thought maybe you were just really that happy to see me. Well, I guess hoped would be closer. But, I can't ignore it anymore! Is it because of me? Are you really that stressed out over your parents? Or are you still upset because of Ino? Because I can talk to them! Both of them. I just need you to tell me how to help." Setting his expression, Ino couldn't laugh away this problem and instead pinched her lips in a line of contempt.

"I said I'm fine," she repeated, a bit of anger creeping into her voice. "What's your problem? You said you liked me this way, remember? It has to better than that sour crab you've been dealing with." Part of her cried out, warning her that she was getting too emotional. But she couldn't help it. Naruto looked down at her with such care and she had to deal with the fact that it was only because she was wearing another woman's face.

"Hey!" he started, his own temper flaring up. "No one gets to talk about Sakura-chan like that. Not even Sakura-chan! I don't care how you are, just as long as you're happy and want to stay by me." His expression slipped a bit, dropping to a more forlorn tinge. "It's all I've ever wanted, to see you happy. And I really thought I was doing that, you know?" He looked back at their last few days together. "But something's wrong, and all I want to do is help."

It was more than she could take. Green eyes lighting up with new found fury, she wouldn't hear another word from his lips about his god damned, oh so perfect, Sakura! The rage she'd been keeping back finally came to life and she shoved him off from on top of her.

"God, will you just shut up?!" she nearly screamed. On the bed she rose up on her knees baring her naked body without a second thought as she glared down at the wide eyed boy.

All the fake smiles and happy go lucky grins went out the window. Leaving only pure emotion to fuel her expression.

"Sakura this, Sakura that, I mean how obsessed can you freaking get? You think she's so perfect? You think she's so great? Then let me be the first to tell you that there are _way_ better girls out there than freakin' billboard brow! I mean honestly, what do you even see in her? The flat chest?" She cupped what meager breasts Sakura's body had before moving them down to her hips. "How about hips a twelve year old could beat? Oh, or maybe you just get off on that oversized forehead of hers! Well, what is it?! Because if that's what I have to beat, you can damn well be sure I'm going to know _exactly_ what kind of ammunition to bring." She fumed. Already plans were beginning to build in her mind for exactly how she would win him over with her own body.

She had _very_ generous breasts considering her age, and quite a few curves from her shoulders down to her hips and thighs. If he didn't like breasts, fine, she'd tighten her bandages or use a transformation jutsu to shrink them. If he liked big foreheads, well, it would sting, but she knew how to cut her hair to make hers look larger. And if he had a think for pink, well, dye wasn't all that expensive. Whatever it was, whatever it took, she _WOULD_ do it.

While she ranted, Naruto's eyes continued to widen with dawning realization. Moments and clues dropped with increasing consistency, enough that his brain was even able to connect past instances of questionable behavior up till now. However, the answer he'd been looking for wasn't what was _wrong_ with the girl in his bed, but _who_ was she?

 _'Wait...billboard brow?'_

"I-Ino?!" he all but exclaimed, and was treated to the sight of her signature eye roll. On Sakura's face her sneering grin was a horrific sight, but it made it all too easy to see the woman behind his beloved's face.

"Ding ding ding ding! Give the boy a prize!"

Naruto almost couldn't believe it, and his mind was struggling just to keep up with this new turn of events. He'd just had sex with _Ino_.

No, Ino had just had sex with _him!_

Remembering the pompous and dramatic girl from the academy, he never would have thought _she_ of all people would have any interest in him. But now he was hearing that she even intended to try and steal him from Sakura? "Ahh," he managed, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. But Ino just continued to glare.

"W-Why did you-. How did you-. Tell me what's going on!" He finally demanded, resorting to his powers to gain some grasp on the situation. To which the blonde haired girl just smirked.

Ino's tendency to gloat made his command all too easy to obey, and opening her mouth she didn't even question the sudden waterfall of words pouring from her lips. "Well, after Sakura went on and on about you the other day I just knew I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I mean seriously, _any_ boy that can make a girl forget about _Sasuke Uchiha_ must be something special, huh? So I decided to take her body for stroll and see just what made you so interesting."

Especially proud of her plan, Ino took the time to draw her fingers over hills and valleys of her rival's figure, attracting Naruto's attention and distracting him for a moment. She gave a dry chuckle.

"Don't get me wrong, I fully expected to leave here after just a few minutes satisfied with the knowledge that the poor girl had simply settled after realizing her chances of beating me were _none_ and _zero_. I was even going to sabotage the whole thing just to drive the point home. So imagine my surprise when I saw the _real_ Naruto Uzumaki." The way she said his name sent shivers up the young man's spine. And he wasn't sure how it was supposed to make him feel.

"Obedient," she started in that same tone. Reaching out she lowered herself onto all fours before crawling her way towards the blond, another word falling from her lips as she grazed Sakura's chest against his. "Loyal, generous, all too ready to answer my hearts every whim. Just about everything I could look for in a boy." She winked.

"Sure, the whole sex thing almost had me out the door. But only until I found out just what those hands of yours can _really_ do." Her lips spread into a real smile, darkened by the mischievous intentions behind the entire day. Nearly upon him, a chuckle rumbled in the back of her throat, low and seductive. When he seemed to lean away from her she simply followed him, slinking her way up his body until he had nowhere else to go.

"And now?" she breathed across his face, mere inches separating their parted lips. "Now, I can't even imagine being with anybody else." She then swallowed the final distance, laying Sakura's naked breasts across his chest and pressing her lips against his own in a final searing kiss. And Naruto simply let her, eyes staring past her mane of pink of hair and all but frozen by the realization of what had truly happened.

He'd done this. This… this was his fault.

In the bathroom, when he'd thought his girlfriend was going to break up with him, he'd used his powers on her. He'd commanded her to see _him_ and only _him_. He might not have controlled her feelings directly, but by the sound of things she'd already had some kind of interest in him. And he'd all but trapped her in a position where she'd been forced to fall to for him. Knowing that Ino's strange behavior was his own doing all but sucked the indignation that had been flaring up from his body. The possibility of the consequences from his actions, not to mention his powers in of themselves finally piercing his thick skull.

Ino smiled in victory, gently and deeply moving her lips against her lover's. Part of her had been deathly afraid of being pushed away by the blond. Fearing that he would reject her even now. But he simply lay there, letting her do as she pleased. And boy did she please.

She could practically feel his thoughts racing under his ridged posture. But thinking was better than nothing at all. He simply needed another push, one last scrap of evidence to truly prove herself above her pink haired ex-best friend. Unfortunately she would never get the chance. At least, not that day.

The door slammed open, a great cracking noise ringing as the metal doorknob struck hardened wood. Without apology, the intruder stood in the dying light of the doorway, sunset red light framing her purple clothes and flushed pale skin. Stepping further into the room, her face came into view, _Ino's_ face, pensive and dripping with sweat from running around town. Having finally found her quarry, righteous anger renewed the strength in her limbs, allowing her to march into the center of the room glaring unholy fire upon the naked girl on her boyfriend's bed.

"N-Naruto-kun," Sakura gasped, never taking her seething eyes off her rival. Looking right back at her, Sakura's own face appeared entirely nonplused by her sudden appearance, even having the gall to look annoyed as she draped herself further over the frantic blond looking between the two.

"Naruto," she repeated, slightly calmer as she regained her breath. "I-I know this is going to sound strange, but get away from her! That's Ino." She pointed an accusing finger at her stolen body who simply narrowed her own eyes in return. "I'm Sakura. Sh-She stole my body. I-I'm still not sure why but-" her breathless reveal was cut off when Ino loudly cleared her throat. Still on top of the boy, she shamelessly stared the girl down, satisfaction nearly dripping from her smug expression as she spoke up.

"Oh, he knows." To which Sakura could only blink, cornflower blue eyes flashing in the room as she caught up with the situation.

Approaching her boyfriend's door she couldn't believe how long it had taken her to get across the village. But finally she'd arrived to right the wrongs that had been committed and to save her boyfriend from the other girl's evil clutches. She'd clung to that image the entire way. So to have it suddenly pulled out from under her, well, she didn't have a leg stand on.

She knew what they were doing, had even been forced to feel it herself. But that didn't make the sting of seeing Naruto with another lover any less painful.

Ino's words sank in slowly. She did her best to put aside the exhaustion in her limbs, to forget about the near painful ache in her loins and to focus on the matter at hand. Turning her attention on Naruto, said boy's expression was far less confused than it should have been. Appearing more fearful than anything else. It was at that moment the young girl realized he had known, and yet was still in bed with the imposter hiding in her body.

Ino saw the realization on her own face and grinned evilly. There, that's the expression she'd been waiting to see. That's what she'd been waiting for from the moment that lonely little girl nipping at her heels dared to call her, her rival. Defeat. Savoring the taste, Ino couldn't help but push Sakura even further.

"That's right," she grinned, lowering herself back into the blond's body until her face fit in hollow of his throat. "Of course he knew. How could he not? As soon as he slipped inside of me he could immediately feel the difference. Of how a real woman acts in bed, rather than a cold, sour child like you." The words stung, made evident by the sudden widening of her eyes.

Naruto could see it too. Struggling to keep up with everything happening so fast, it was no wonder he'd felt caught off guard. But seeing the sudden pain on his girlfriend's face felt like a fist firmly lodged in his gut. He opened his mouth, trying to think of anything that he could say to defuse the situation.

"Wait, no! It's not like that Sakura-chan, honest! I mean, I kinda knew but-." But Sakura wasn't hearing it, the truth on his face being more than enough for her to draw her own conclusion. Her pained features darkened further.

She'd had to deal with her rival her entire life. And up until recently, not once had she been able to walk away victorious. No matter what it came to, clothes, hair product, even their bodies, Ino seemed to have the advantage. Leaving the pinkette to wallow and lament her place staring at the other girls back.

However, while she seemed to always come up short, it was because of her tenuous position she'd also learned how to put up with the insufferable girl. And clenching her fist at her side, she was never more grateful for the years of practice leading up to this one moment.

Ino, oblivious to the wrath she'd invoked, continued speaking. "That's right, so why don't you run along and leave the two of us-." The final interruption of the night came and went, cut off by the overpowering weight of Sakura's fist crashing against her own face. And even though she had to feel the force of her own strength, pain had never felt so sweet.

The blonde haired girl fell from her spot on top of Naruto and rolled to the hard wooden floor, eyes wide with disbelief. Her cheek throbbed with warm pain and she was actually a little dizzy from the force of the blow. Rearing up, she was no doubt prepared to spew a long line of threats and 'how dare you's'. But the vision of Sakura's imposing figure continued to look over the incriminated pair, oozing with killing intent. And finally she realized she'd gone too far, that she had pushed her former friend beyond her breaking point, beyond grief, beyond depression, straight into the waiting arms of pure seething rage. Her mouth closed and she moved back onto the bed behind Naruto, hoping to use the blond as a shield, or at least a distraction from the pissed pinkette's vengeful wrath.

Naruto also realized this, and felt his eyes widen accordingly. "Sakura-chan?" he asked. But she was done talking. And soon both of them knew the toll that came with crossing Haruno Sakura.

What followed could only be described as the cruelest of beatings. Not a one-sided fight, not an attack, but a beating in every sense of the word. Naruto remained the focus of her attention, after the, oh so satisfying blow she'd unleashed against her rival. But the brunt of her anger was reserved for the spiky haired blond. After all, she _expected_ this from Ino. She knew to be careful of the vain and self-centered bitch. But he was her boyfriend. And if there was one, ONE positive quality she had always begrudgingly granted him it was his loyalty. As such, he had hurt her more than Ino ever could. Thankfully this was an opportunity to shift some of that pain back.

Considering the strength and power each blow she delivered, no one would assume she was the same panting half dead husk that had dragged herself across all of Konoha. Ino remained hidden in her corner of the bed, wide eyed and feeling pure terror towards her pink haired rival. She'd seen Sakura snap before but never like this. Even when she was done, and the dazed, swollen face of Naruto laid damn near unconscious staring up at the ceiling, when Sakura turned her furious gaze back on the other girl and demanded she reverse the technique, she did. With no attitude, smart remarks, or any of her trademark comebacks.

Back in her own body, Sakura ignored the aches and pains of rough sex and an aching jaw; instead she quickly gathered and dressed in her discarded clothes. Naruto was still a mess and Ino sat silently, angry but not nearly brave enough to say anything, let alone do anything. No longer nude, the young woman moved over to her former friend sitting on the bed and mercilessly pulled her to her feet. All but dragging her towards the still open door even as Ino yelled and yelped the entire way. Naruto came back from the darkness just in time to lift his head and watch his now ex-girlfriend turn and glare in his direction.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I'm only going to tell you this once so you better get it through your thick head. I _never_ want to see you again unless explicitly required by Sensei. Any other time and I'll make what happened today feel like a slap on the wrist! Stay. Away. From. Me." And with that, she turned around with a fanning wave of pink hair towards the door. "Hurry up!" she snapped at Ino, still glaring at her side. Getting yanked out the door a single curse flew from her lips before the door slammed shut behind them, casting the room in darkness.

Sakura left as quickly as she'd appeared. And suddenly Naruto was all alone.

He lay there, blinking slowly at the space Sakura had once stood feeling a new pain consume his fractured body. Bruises were already starting to form under his tanned skin, his jaw cried out each time he dared try and open it, and the skin around his eyes were starting to swell shut. It amazed him, in a numb kind of way, how quickly a day could go from incredible to one of the worst in his entire life.

He'd screwed up. Everything that had happened today had been his fault. Sakura was in more pain than ever and he still had a brainwashed Ino to worry about. And even if he was able to get close enough to Sakura to use his powers, he had no way of knowing if he would ever be able to get her to stop hating him.

With a feeble groan, he slowly shifted his body until he was lying on his back. Closing his eyes, he could only pray he would feel better in the morning. Because somehow, some way, he was going to fix this.

Probably...

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so announcement time. Obviously it's been some time since the last time I updated this story and I want to apologize for that, however I haven't just been sitting on my hands either. Since starting this story as well as my RWBY fanfiction my popularity rose quite a bit, to the point that people have been contacting me for** **commissioned** **work. And as much as I love each and every one of you, I'm pretty sure the brunt of the people out there can understand that payed fanfictions take priority.**

 **On the upside, the small break from the story has given me the chance to think about the future of this story and where I want it to go. With this in mind, I've gotten a lot of great advice from my new beta who will also be helping edit the brunt of my stories. As such the** **list of women I originally had planned for in chapter one has now changed** **. And I encourage many of you to take a look. It's shorter than before but only includes women strictly in the harem. One time flings will not be included at this time. Also, I've decided to** **raise Naruto's age from thirteen to fifteen, and everyone else in his generation to fourteen** **.**

 **And finally, I want to announce that I am in the process of creating my own** **. A number of people have broached the subject and I figured if people want to support me than I should create a viable means. However, I do feel the need to express that I am not expecting anything from anyone other than that they enjoy my stories and maybe leave a review if you feel up to it. Don't feel obligated or pressured to give me anything. If you want to, than thanks. I sincerely appreciate it. But otherwise just keep doing what you've been doing.**

 **I will add that I am thinking of** **goals/rewards** **that will be included for people who donate through . But I'm more interested in what you guys would be interested in seeing. At the moment I've already considered things like early access to chapters before I send them to my editor, discounts towards commissions and even something along the lines of a bi-monthly update schedule. If you have more ideas I want to hear them.**

 **Next Chapter:** Relationships are challenged and more about Naruto's mysterious powers are revealed. Naruto attempts to correct his mistakes and Ino continues her pursuit in our favorite knuckle head. Will Sakura accept his apology? Or will the threat of Ino stealing him away force her into action?


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait but I have a very important Author's Note at the bottom of the chapter for anyone who is interested in hearing about my new** **UPDATE SCHEDULE** **. I'll be informing you all about when I will be updating this story as well as VAULT 69 and SENCE OF SEMBLANCE. I know updates have been a little slow as of yet but I hope this will help me focus. But first, please enjoy chapter six of GGR. And if you enjoyed it, let me know with a quick review. Every one makes me smile.**

 **Tag(s): N/A**

 **Girl(s): N/A**

 **Editor: Lords of Ember Celica**

 **Words: 8008**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

D-Rank missions at their core, were the inside joke of the ninja world, with the occasional instance of punishment thrown in for good measure. Considered little more than glorified chores, they remained a staple mark of every genin's career for the simple purpose of teaching a group of angsty, hormonal teenagers to get along and work together as a team. Being ordered to clean up an alleyway or scrub down a public bathhouse tended to bond such a group, namely against the one giving their orders. And yet, as Kakashi Hatake watched his own team carry out their current mission, he couldn't help but feel his trio of young ninja was failing even that simple of a goal.

At the far end of the aisle during their current grocery shopping 'mission' (read as errand) his lone eye spied Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura from overtop his smutty book's cover. Oblivious to his observations they carried on in silence, with none of the whining and groaning he'd grown used to over the past month and a half over the monotony of today's assignment.

Even Naruto, no, _especially_ Naruto appeared to lack the energy he was famous for, quietly shuffling along while brown paper bags threatened to overwhelm his shorter frame. As if on instinct, he found his gaze shifting towards the lone female of their group, just as he'd learned to do ever since evidence of their relationship came to light.

She remained at the head of their formation, marching forward with her single bag while adamantly ignoring both of her teammates. Oddly enough, Kakashi couldn't help but miss the days she'd vie for the attention of the more sullen of his cute little genin, all the while screeching at their blond comrade. If for no other reason than because it allowed for the promise of his team wanting to connect. She hardly even glanced in Sasuke's direction anymore, simply going through the motions of their missions and training as though the two boys didn't exist.

And Sasuke… actually, Sasuke was still behaving exactly the same. One out of three wasn't bad, right? For his first team anyway. The lazy teacher allowed his shoulders to shrug before returning to the issue at hand.

As a rule of thumb, relationships between teammates were frowned upon in Konohagakure. The number of issues that such an imbalance could create in a three-person squad were as obvious as they were detrimental; with this particular outcome being just one of the numerous scenarios that encouraged outright prohibition for previous generations. But, the peacetime they had enjoyed since the last war had relaxed what at one point had been a much more rigid stance against fraternization. Fighting side by side, surviving back to back, living so many years as a part of each other's lives, developing trust between them; honestly, it was highly unlikely that some kind of romance or relationship _didn't_ develop at some point. As such the practice now was to simply observe, take note, and report any serious problems. A job Kakashi was as enthusiastic about as his normal position as sensei.

The silver-haired scarecrow didn't know what had happened between the two, nor did he particularly care. In a way, it was lucky that he got to get this out of the way now before they actually had to deal with anything dangerous. This kind of discord was more than enough to get a team killed if they let it get too far, and if this behavior didn't change soon, he might actually need to sit the pair down and have a word about team dynamics and what it really meant to be a professional ninja. But until then… Kakashi's attention slowly turned back toward the book he'd been pretending to read, allowing his focus to fall to the bare minimum. A content sigh drifted through the dark material of his mask.

 _"So it was Koko-chan after all? I wonder what will happen when she finds out her, and her sister have been sharing the same lover all this time…"_

D-Rank missions. For genin, the worst. But for him, a much-needed vacation.

* * *

The foursome continued on their way in dead silence through the town making their deliveries with little to no interruptions. A first, to be sure.

By anyone's account, this would mark some form of improvement or professionalism that had developed in the two months since their team had formed. In a matter of two hours, their daily mission was completed, leaving their sensei to wish them all a pleasant day before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. Alone at last, the three teenagers found themselves reflexively turning towards each other, only for the lone kunoichi to flinch back from the brilliant blue stare suddenly pinning her with what could only be described as desperation.

"Sakura-," he started, only to cut himself short. Whatever words he'd planned to say remained blocked in his throat, inadequate to the point that they didn't even have enough substance to be spoken aloud. Blinking, his features settled into a pinched grimace before his gaze settled towards the ground.

Her eyes narrowed in an instant, watching without any form of mercy towards his obvious struggle. A single moment passed before her expression became exasperated. Appearing tired, she didn't wait for him to summon up the courage to continue, turning about face to stomp off in the direction of her home.

Naruto watched her, eyes widening as panic filled his veins. The blond ninja took only one step towards her disappearing form before remembering what had happened the last time he'd tried to follow her. A resounding ache still echoed in his jaw. Instead, he was left to flinch, a hollow pain widening through his chest until finally, Sakura turned a corner vanishing from view. And just like every day before, the building pressure came to a stop, just before he could feel the pain threatening to enclose around his throat.

'Stop.' 'Don't move.' 'Listen to me.' All of these words and more were fit to burst from his lips. And yet he couldn't work up the nerve to even try. He'd done everything in his power to get her to listen to him outside of outright compelling her to remain frozen. But every attempt was met with the same jade-like edge of her sharp glare that still pained him each time he was forced to see how much pain he'd caused her; the opposite of what he'd ever wanted.

He glanced towards the last member of his team, almost waiting for a smug quip hurled his way. But he'd left sooner than Sakura had, off to sulk or train at his clan's compound as he did every moment he wasn't forced to socialize. And without even realizing it, Naruto had to recognize that he'd been left alone… again. And with nothing else to keep him there, he was left to turn in his own direction, expression drawn and hands thrust into his pockets as he made his way home; trying and failing to keep his thoughts from overwhelming his mind.

In the wake of getting punched into unconsciousness and the impossibility of the previous week, it had understandably taken a good couple of hours to make sense of just what had happened that day with Ino. The fact that he'd slept with another woman, even ignorant of the fact that it had been another woman, still slightly dazed the younger male. Though, considering how Sakura had been acting that day he knew it really shouldn't have.

After all, how could he ever think _Sakura_ would behave the way Ino had so easily acted? And yet, it had happened; either through his own stupidity or his overly stimulated fifteen year old libido. Which really only made it worse in the end. If he really had an excuse, some way to explain away what had happened he might have actually found it in him to put up more of a fight to get Sakura to listen to him. But as it was, he doubted excuses were even worth bringing up. Fooled or not, he'd slept with Sakura's one time best friend. Even worse, after learning the truth, he hadn't pushed her away or gotten away from the situation. Rather, he'd just laid there letting her do as she pleased until Sakura finally barged in to get her revenge.

Dwelling on his dark thoughts, the depression he'd struggled to keep at bay finally overwhelmed him, forcing his gaze to bend towards the dusty village road.

In contrast to his own personal cloud drizzling overhead, the rest of the village ran without pause, bustling with life, good cheer, and joyful people as they went about their lives. Family shops lined the market, allowing an odd mixture of delicious foods and treated oils to fill the busy lane of those passing by.

Konoha was large by many villages' standards; blessed with the military strength to fend off any would-be invaders, which in turn meant they were able to take on more missions at any given time than their competitors. Because of this, they were gifted with the prosperity to feed and house their many, many citizens, which encouraged the number of merchants that came and went through their town to ferry their many exports even more. Nearing the evening when the sun would start to set and the hot air would cool, this part of the village was always bustling, and today was no different.

Naruto's blond mop of hair and bright orange jumpsuit stood out like a beacon in the throng of people, demanding the attention of everyone unlucky enough to glance in his direction. And just like that the bright smiles and eager expressions of shop owners and customers alike began to darken as space began to expand around the shuffling ninja.

People walking in the opposite direction stepped around him like a mighty river parting around a pebble, while the people who'd been thoughtlessly matching his stride quickly found some excuse to stop at the nearest stall or find a reason to hurry towards their next destination. Naruto continued unhindered, as though he didn't even notice the obvious treatment against his person.

Heads turned, their indignant faces outright ignoring his very existence. There were no hushed whispers, no insults or attacks thrown his way, however. That would have been preferable, in some ways. At least then they would be acknowledging his existence instead of this… void, this absence and apathy towards his _existing_.

Naruto had been forced to recognize the emotion, or lack thereof, from a very young age; even if he hadn't been able to understand why until very recently.

These people, they weren't afraid of the fox inside of him, nor were they afraid of it getting out. Just like they weren't stupid enough to believe the annoying brat they'd been forced to put up with for his entire life could actually be the malevolent, ageless demon that had ravaged their lives. No, rather, looking at the blond haired idiot in a clown's getup they only saw a reminder of an event they would rather forget than have thrust in their faces every morning and evening. They would rather he'd just accepted the demon into his body and leave, disappear or be locked away, so they never had to see him.

To these people, he was a human bag of garbage that kept popping up and stinking up their perfect little village, no matter how much they wanted someone to just toss him outside and lock the gate.

A few more steps passed before Naruto's sandaled feet came to a slow and steady stop. Lifting his head from the ground, he glanced around at the many faces turned from his direction, a palpable dome of ears and hair craned to greet him, rather than their narrowed eyes and pursed lips.

Already in a bad mood, this sudden treatment didn't exactly help. Even if he was forced to acknowledge that it wasn't sudden in the least. Rather, in the wake of actually being happy and finally having someone to share his life with, he'd been stupid enough to forget the rest of the population out to welcome his quiet and neat disappearance. And that… only made the hollow ache in his chest throb that much harder. Profound loneliness threatening to break the mask of joy and energy he'd been taught to display if he ever felt included to change the chilling isolation.

His teeth clenched, and something close to anger threatened to replace his downcast expression. For a moment he curiously considered if it had been too long since his last prank. Maybe it was time to remind these people why it was such a bad idea to turn you back on Uzumaki Naruto. However, slowly reaching for the pocket of stink bombs he always had readily available, the spark of excitement that usually appeared in anticipation of pissing off an entire crowd was absent. Leaving him markedly less enthused to ruin these people's day.

Where was the vindictive glee of hearing the villager's cries of shock and surprise? Where did his enthusiasm for chaos and mischief disappear to? Not long ago, he's almost lived for those few brilliant moments of time where everyone's eyes turned on him. Where he forced them to look and acknowledge his presence, if only so he could prove to himself that he still existed and wasn't just some silent ghost. The fear of which had haunted him well throughout his childhood.

What if one day he just disappeared? And even worse, he didn't even know? Just wandering and walking through a village of eyes that looked right through him until the end of time. He knew better now, of course. He wasn't some kid too scared to look under his bed anymore, he literally carried the most terrifying monster to have ever stalked the night within him. He knew he was real! He knew he wasn't about to disappear, at least not without a fight! But that didn't mean he stopped enjoying his pranks. At least it hadn't before. So, what had changed?

Unfortunately, the answer was only too obvious.

The attention he got from pranks, what he got forcing people to acknowledge him was nothing compared to how it felt to have a person care about him of their own volition. Sakura's love, Sakura's attention, it was like going back to drinking gutter water after drinking from a cool refreshing spring. His body still thirsted, still needed the water to survive, but his eyes had been opened from the experience of how much better things could be, which only made his reality that much more lacking. These people, they didn't mean anything to him. And if they wanted to ignore him, fine. He would rather die of thirst…

With another sigh, he was forced to let his mischievous glint fade back into bored disinterest, before turning back towards the ground and continuing on his path.

Memories of their times together, no matter how brief, were dredged to the surface; enforcing the sensation of something missing from his chest, as though a part of him had really disappeared. And now, he was being forced back into the cold, dark embrace of his lonely existence after feeling the warmth he had for so long only been able to imagine.

Now it was time for the fear to take hold, just as it had been known to do in the past weeks when he was forced to acknowledge the fact that Sakura might _never_ come back to him. That he'd actually ruined his one chance with the girl of his dreams. The very possibility alone flooded his veins with ice. Which is why he wasn't surprised at all when his thoughts eventually turned towards the obvious solution.

 _'Stop.' 'Don't move.' 'Listen to me.'_ _ **'FORGET.' 'NEVER LEAVE ME.**_ _'_ The words echoed through his consciousness, bitter as they were sweet to the lonely boy desperate for anyone's affection. It would be so easy, too easy. If he wanted he could just command her to stay with him. So… why hadn't he? And as if summoned by his thoughts, the personification of his internal struggle made their appearance…in a pushup bra?

Popping out from wherever she'd been lying in wait, she wore a salacious grin; bright against her pale skin and golden spun locks. Forcing her face into Naruto's vision, his shocked, embarrassed reaction caused her pleasure to multiply, marked by a heart pulling giggle. "Good afternoon, _Na-ru-to-kun_ ," she purred in greeting him. Not at all shying away from stepping into his personal space, Naruto could only do his best to compensate, a slow drop of sweat forming on his brow as he forced his eyes away from her curvy figure that seemed to bounce ever so slightly with each sashayed step taken towards him. She didn't even blink, her Cheshire grin widening and she continued. "My, my, what are the chances we'd run into each other like this? Seems like fate, huh?" Naruto's answer was an audible gulp.

Ino Yamanaka… Naruto's brow furled anxiously.

She stood in the middle of the road blocking his path home. With her arms behind her back, her posture and motions couldn't have been any more obvious if she tried. Her hips and expression swayed from side to side. They were entirely too innocent for the obvious planning behind her ambush. Especially when one noticed the outfit she typically wore. Unbidden, Naruto's eyes glanced for just a peek, clearly tempted, despite struggling against his natural attraction.

The familiar combination of rings, drafty plum garbs, and form-fitting bandages only hinting towards her figure belied an obvious tendency towards her favored color; not to mention a subtle gift for seduction.

Utilizing natural good looks and exotic attire to distract enemies, hers was a tactic no other kunoichi from their class was bold enough to try. Not surprising given their age. Now with the other blond square in her sights, Naruto found himself on the receiving end of her… strategies.

This was something else entirely. The bandages and arm warmers were gone. As were her familiar slit outfit, yet Ino somehow managed to expose even _more_ of her figure in a way that seemed impossible. It was purple, which wasn't a surprise, but while it wasn't exactly 'revealing' it was more in the way she wore it that gave it such a dramatic effect.

The deeply curved top fit tight, stretched around and under her already impressive bust to allow a very generous view of her cleavage. Already snug, her decision to wear something to further accent her breasts rather than her usual chest bindings made them look that much more inviting. Of course, without her chest bindings, her midsection was completely exposed, leaving the expanse of her flat toned stomach almost as prominently displayed as the shelf of womanly flesh hanging from her chest.

The skirt she'd chosen was actually fairly plain, even its length was surprising in that it almost reached her knees; however, it showed its true purpose only when a nearby shadow shifted to allow a fading sunbeam to shine through the fabric and silhouette her full thighs and the juncture where they met. If he looked close enough, Naruto thought he could see a flash a blue beneath the thin white cotton.

She was certainly talented, with the gift of confidence and fashion sense to play all types of colors against each other, all of which were set to better enhance her already alluring beauty. This was actually one of the tamer outfits she'd tried to entice him, for which he was thankful since they were standing out in the middle of a busy street. Although that only reminded him of how thoughtless he'd been to have been caught by her unaware in the first place.

He'd been stupid, lost in his own thoughts without paying attention to everyone around him. He'd walked right into her trap. Naruto's sullen features warmed until finally, he managed to look up from the low cut top threatening to reveal her youthful figure.

 _"Fate, huh?"_ Naruto's thoughts turned dry. Well, the demented scale that presided over all must really have an eye out for him since this 'chance encounter' the blonde haired girl so readily claimed had already repeated several times this week. Every single day, in fact, since she'd been dragged out of his apartment by his now ex-girlfriend whose appearance in his memory alone demanded that he take an extra step back no matter how futile.

"Ino," Naruto started, his cheeks erupting with color. Despite himself, he couldn't help but glance around at the crowd still passing by as if expecting to the familiar mop of bubblegum pink hair to suddenly appear. It didn't, but his anxiety didn't ease one bit. Increasing in fact, just from the way he could see Ino staring at him. So in love, and yet wrong in every way that Naruto could ever fathom. "How… are you today?" That wasn't what he wanted to say…

Her eyes, a brilliant cornflower blue, sparkled with the kind of affection only found in the heart of pure maidens not yet jaded by the harsh reality of heartbreak. Her posture, leaning toward him ever so indulgently, spoke volumes of her intentions, each and every one of her round budding curves offered for his perusal. Which only made her revealing outfit that much more dangerous.

In his mind, he tried to match what he was seeing to the same girl he'd known in the academy. To be honest, he'd never really paid her all that much attention. At least, nothing beyond her being the girl that always seemed to be fighting with Sakura, and almost always over the bastard. He might have a few memories of catching her hanging around Shikamaru and Chouji, but other than that all he really had were an odd collection of mixed snide comments he'd gotten a chuckle from overhearing a conversation here or there.

"Much better now that you're here!" she practically gushed, offering another bubble of girly laughter to delight the hormone-fueled young man. "After all, I've been looking for a handsome, blond young man to take me out for the evening. Just my luck!" The words came so easily, and without any attempt at disguising her obvious interest. But as she batted her eyelashes and reached out to touch his worn orange coat, a different expression illuminated her cheeks into a soft pink color.

"Or, if you're not hungry…" she let the coy sentence die there, not from embarrassment, but to tease and tempt the boy even more. Soon his tanned features were just as hot, while a wide-eyed expression forced him to look away from the inviting soft pink color of her devious smile.

Blood flowed in… many directions. All of it warm and encouraging a humid air to take beneath the thick material of his clothes.

Ino wasn't a shy girl. And unlike Sakura, she had no problem voicing her interests in the pleasures of the flesh. Rather, she seemed to revile in the activity. As soon as Naruto had shown her just how good it could feel, and what it was like to be held by the person who cared about you the most, she'd made her invitations to his bed as obvious as her affections, more than eager to experience the sensations of his hands, and… other parts, on her real body and real curves; rather than through Sakura's body as a proxy.

Which is why it was so disappointing that Naruto hadn't taken her up on her generous offer.

Faced with the tempting proposal, Naruto responded just as he had every time he'd been cornered by the second blonde. Embarrassment, a little bit of shock, as well as a pinch of appreciation for her bold approach. Nevertheless, he knew he couldn't accept. No matter what the pressure in his pants argued.

As if sensing his inevitable rejection, Ino's expression faltered for only a moment, before re-engaging in full force as she launched herself in his direction to steal one of his arms. Without warning, the fifteen year old boy was gifted with the soft, firm pressure of the girl's chest snuggly enveloping the budding muscles just starting to develop around the long, spindly length of his arm.

Frustrating didn't quite properly explain the enigma that was Naruto Uzumaki, Ino had been quick to learn.

In her experience, boys were a simple matter and one that she'd learned how to navigate from an early age. She had never actually pursued any relationships for the risk of losing her chance with village's last Uchiha. But flirting had taught her much about the male mind, if only that in most cases there wasn't much to them. She'd found it so powerful she'd even decided to implement it into her ninja career, taking a supplementary seduction course after having passed the required class with flying colors.

Send a wave, offer a wink, maybe allow a subtle brush of the finger along their arms; each had allowed for quite a bit of amusement watching the civilian boys fall over themselves for her attention. Unlike Sakura, she didn't have a perpetual blond haired ego boost nipping at her heels all throughout the academy. And despite her bravado and confidence, she was just as prone to disappointment and doubt as the next girl. Thankfully, it was never anything a walk through the village couldn't cure. Hell, she even noticed _adults_ looking at her from time to time, which was gross to be sure, but still nice to know and fed her ego all the same. So why was Naruto being so difficult?

Ha, as if she didn't know…

"Naruto-kun!" she sighed, frowning as though he was actually causing her some kind of pain. "Don't you think it's time you stopped pinning for boring old forehead already?" as if reading his thoughts. "It's already been a week, and if I know her as well as I know I do, I'm pretty sure she still hasn't even said a word to you." Leaning into him, she allowed gravity to deliver even more wonderful sensations from her maturing curves, which rubbed up and down his clenched bicep. A tingle shot up her spine from the connection, only emboldening her brazen and wanton behavior.

"I know you thought you cared about her, but I can _promise_ you, if you just give me a chance, I'll show you how much better a girlfriend I can be then skinny little billboard-brow," she cooed while subtly rubbing his arm between her breasts. Confidence seemed to drip from her voice, almost tangible in its abundance. Her words as well as her actions left Naruto's cheeks even warmer and forced his heart to start pumping a bit faster.

"S-Sakura just needs some time," he tried to argue; almost more to himself than to her. He found himself wallowing against his dry throat from the proximity of this soft, warm girl so enamored with his person. Although, his tone was anything but encouraging.

"But why _wait_ for her? When you can _have_ me?"

She was serious, one hundred percent. Her flirty tone hardened just a fraction, not forceful so much as earnest in her words that continued in their attempt to persuade the current boy in her heart. While Naruto watched on, unable to look away from her brilliant stare pinning him in place.

"I wouldn't hit you like she does. I wouldn't pretend to be annoyed when you wanted to spend time with me, and I would never turn you down if you are feeling…frisky." Seeing his eyes widen, some of the intent in her expression lifted in the form of a knowing grin. "Don't think I couldn't tell when we were together. When we finished that first-time and I reached for you again, I could see you were surprised. Makes me think our little cheery blossom can't usually take a second round."

It wasn't a question, but then, Ino wasn't asking. Instead, she continued in the same persuading honey sweet tone she'd offered each time she managed to pull him away. Slowly wearing him down with logic and her own sexuality. A dangerous combination if ever there was one.

"I can't say I know for sure, but you certainly _seemed_ satisfied that day." She continued poking. "And I know it was good for me. Because we're good together. We fit, much better than you and Sakura anyway." Naruto flinched at her words, and his eyes turned from hers to look at the ground. Not so much as to think about what she'd said, but more to deny it, and to remind himself of whom his heart really belonged to. Seeing this, Ino's expression pinched, almost turning cranky after _another_ failed attempt to sway him from his longtime crush. Her next words were almost biting, completely ignorant of the impact they had on both his conscience as well as his emotions.

"And I know I would never be stupid enough to leave you! Not for a second. I mean, how smart can she really be if she's willing to pass you up, huh?" A flash of confusion echoed across Naruto's face. It was over as fast as it'd started, and afterward the nervous, reluctant demeanor the blonde inspired was gone. Leaving only a frown and an echo of guilt that went on to confuse poor Ino who could only look on and see all of her efforts crumble before her.

Naruto didn't say anything. Merely reaching up to gently pry her grip from around his arm. In a fit of stubbornness, Ino actually resisted for a moment, thinking it cute to show him just how unwilling she was to let him go. But his grip became shockingly firm. Not painful, but strong enough to show the difference between their physical strength. In the end, Ino was left frowning like a petulant child suddenly scolded by a parent. While Naruto's dark expression remained unable to even look at the girl who just offered herself so openly for his pleasure.

"Naruto-kun," Ino whined, but he appeared conflicted, and very confused. Ultimately, unsure how to handle Ino's attention, he made the very awkward decision to simply turn and continue on the path he'd been on before her ambush. In return Ino's pouty expression shifted in an instant, flattening into panic while she moved to step after him. "N-Naruto?! Hey, wait up! Don't just leave without me," she moved to chase after him, while he continued forward unable to so much as glance back in her direction.

If his behavior discouraged Ino, the blonde didn't let it show. Matching his quick and brisk pace, her soft voice continued to speak to him, prattling on about nothing in particular. Despite having fallen for him so hard, the time she'd been allowed to spend with him was very limited. Being on different teams, with different missions, and having to help her parents run the flower shop meant she had to work hard and fight for just a few scraps of minutes each day, and she intended to make as much use of their romantic walk through the markets as she could. All while not so subtly dropping hints towards her favored stalls and shops just in case he ever decided to take her up on that date. Which he would. Even when he didn't respond Ino didn't break stride, growing used to the awkward young man's odd behavior.

Ino's plotting and Naruto's anxiety aside, their time together continued until Naruto's apartment finally came into view. Seeing her chance at hand, Ino threw her long ponytail over her shoulder, allowing the long golden strands to dance in the breeze for a single moment before making her move. An easy and deeper tone playing against her half-lidded expression. "Aren't you going to invite me in, Naruto-kun?" she even allowed her posture to slouch, her aforementioned low cut top once again doing its job to best present her womanly assets.

An uncomfortable itch started behind his neck, where cold sweat leaked through the wide pores. Suffice to say, Naruto didn't exactly have a lot of practice turning down people who actually _wanted_ to spend time with him. The very idea seemed ridiculous. But allowing his eyes to turn in her direction, the obvious arousal he should have been feeling was all but absent. Replaced by cold, sharp fear, as well as a healthy dose of guilt that drowned out anything else that might have tried to arise.

Naruto's mouth opened, but nothing came out for several seconds. His eyes remained trained on her flirtatious expression, glancing for a moment towards the door to his home before returning to her brilliant blue eyes. Finally, the panic that threatened his features seemed to deflate, settling into a mask of utter resignation.

The shift was almost enough to shake Ino's bravado, who collected herself quickly for his reply. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be anything close to what she expected, and even further from what she wanted, his words leaving her to stare at him in a confused daze.

"Ino, forget about me completely."

The words came from Naruto's lips in a tone the once carefree ninja had never known until a few days prior. It was heavy, impossibly so. And compared to the light and laughter normally found in his voice, it was like he was another person altogether. Ino's reaction continued, as though struggling to process the clear order in his tone. Finally, her eyes settled back on his drawn expression, confusion suddenly coming to life.

Naruto watched her for a moment, face set against the question in her gaze. "I…" she started, turning her head to the side with a single brow raised. Whatever hope might have sprung into the young man's chest was demolished as soon as he spied the corner of her lips curl into her trademarked smirk. Perplexed, but otherwise completely unaffected she finished, "can't believe you think it's that easy to get rid of me!" And just like that Naruto's serious expression dropped back towards the ground, a long sigh following.

There was no surprise, no shock on his face as he turned to walk towards the staircase leading to his apartment. Almost as though he'd been expecting it. The sudden departure left Ino blinking after him, a huff of indignation blowing out her flared nostrils. Still, her eyes only reflected a harder determination.

"Okay! That's fine," she called after him as he stomped up the steep incline towards the second floor, "just give me a call when you change your mind?" His answer was to look at her, clear conflict and confusion twisting the tight squint of his eyes before he felt compelled to offer a weak wave goodbye and continued towards his door. There, he made no attempt to hide his eagerness to be inside and slam the door shut behind him, only to press his back against the frame, savoring the silence and solitude of his empty apartment.

It hadn't worked. But then, he'd already known it wouldn't… His real issue was trying to forget.

Releasing a slow sigh, he let his eyes close against the sight of his apartment, so dark and quiet without the nervous, albeit begrudging joy of his longtime crush. And yet, even in her absence, Naruto had to recognize that losing Sakura had not been the worst consequence of that day. Rather, that was standing just outside his apartment. It also happened to be the real reason he found it so hard to muster up the courage to try and use his will bending abilities again.

Ino was beautiful. And despite her bold tendencies Naruto would have probably gone out with her on a date at the drop of a hat if she'd shown interest in him before. …If Sakura wasn't in the picture, of course. And even then, he'd at least feel happy about the feminine attention. What guy in their right mind _wouldn't_ be?

Starved for attention as he was, growing more and more discouraged by Sakura's continued dismissals as he was, her attention remained as a constant reminder of just how badly he'd messed up. How reckless he'd been using a power when he had no idea how they really worked. The same power he refused to even consider using now. And all because of how much trouble he'd created simply by speaking before he'd even tried to think about what he was saying. A common flaw for someone his age, but no one could deny the added consequence his position afforded in this particular instance.

When he'd been in the shower with the other blonde, completely unaware that his girlfriend's mind had been swapped with another, Ino had… teased him, or, possibly had been looking to hurt Sakura when she'd joked about them seeing other people. In his panic he'd completely messed up, demanding that she only look at him. That she wouldn't ever be interested in anyone else but him. Only to realize afterward how his power had effectively imprinted _Ino's_ affection to him. Or at the very least, how he had forced her into a position where she couldn't help but fall for him.

It hadn't been too bad at first, realizing what had happened. He'd been more confused than anything else, taking a moment to understand that his commands had transferred to her even though the girl had heard them while inhabiting another's body. Worried about Sakura, he'd been more embarrassed over the situation than guilty. It wasn't until he'd given her a second order that he realized something wasn't right. And it wasn't until he'd tried several more times afterward that he realized the horrifying truth that the effects of his power, once intoned, were completely irreversible.

He'd tried everything he could think of. He told her to find someone else, told her to forget the first order; he even tried telling her to hate him! All of which had been met with odd glances, and a small snort of laughter from the last. It was only with growing horror that he realized if he used his power on someone he could never give an order that contradicted a previous command. Something he might have found out if he'd ever actually taken the time to learn about what it could do or its effects.

 _'I'd never be stupid enough to leave you,'_ she'd lauded, thinking he would be impressed by her devotion. When really all it did was add more stress to the boulder he was already carrying on his back.

"Yeah, because you can't. And it's all my fault…"

Naruto's eyes opened, and he took a step deeper into his apartment. Taking a deep breath, hunger from an afternoon of traipsing across the village made itself known. He moved almost without a thought towards the kitchen where cupboards of instant ramen would soon greet him.

Even as he went about preparing his favorite meal, his eyes and motions continued to lack the familiar excitement. Soon the only sound to fill the apartment came from the old microwave as the Styrofoam cup turned in place and the first hint of steam began to rise and fog the illumined glass reflecting Uzumaki's listless gaze.

Thirty seconds of the three minutes required passed before Naruto's stressed posture turned to walk away from his warming meal. He only made it a few feet before his steps slowed towards the unkempt mess of his bed and sheets, weighed down by the memories of his failed attempts to remove whatever order's Ino had retained after her mind returning to her own body.

He… didn't know what he was supposed to do. If it were _just_ Sakura being angry at him or maybe _just_ knowing he'd messed up using his powers then maybe he'd be able to think of a solution. But _combined_ , the level of pressure was just a bit more than one fifteen year old boy thought himself capable of solving. Even worse, he couldn't even run to the old man or Iruka-sensei. Not without way more questions than he knew how to answer. Or even could, for that matter. Not for the first time, Naruto's tight expression pinched as he resisted the comforting urge to curl up on the ground and daydream about happier times.

More time passed, and the sharp chirping of the microwave sounded off signaling the blond's meal was ready. And yet he didn't move, unable to look away from the soft, innocuous cushion of his bed where all his problems had begun.

His mind reached back unbidden, pulling images and memories of his time with Sakura to the surface. Not of Ino, whose inviting grins and eager reception had confused and amazed him; but of the girl who's eyes refused to so much as meet his own, so self-conscious of her own pleasure as to barely even allow it.

The feeling of her hands on his shoulder, of her skin so soft under his own. The emotion in his chest when he fully entered her body, more than pleasurable, but fulfilling in a way that occupied the hollow pang of loneliness. And her smile, so selfish and devious, and so her that every time he got to see it all he wanted was to keep her happy for the rest of his life.

What had once made him the happiest boy in the village now hurt him more than anything he'd ever experience. And basking in what had been only tore at the scabs of his emotions, sending even more lances of stinging, acid-laced barbs through his chest. Enough to summon his hand above the space where his stubborn muscle continued to beat, clutching at the jacket and shirt underneath as though that could numb the self-inflicted torture he continued to force himself through, day in and day out. Just to remind himself that it had really happened.

One week. Seven whole days, that was all! And yet Naruto could already feel the familiar doubts start to creep out from the darkest corners of his consciousness. Voices that he did his best to ignore, to stay upbeat and joyful. But it never lasted long and they inevitably continued to get louder the longer he remained in this shadowed living space. A deep line furled between his tight brows.

 _"You're alone again."_

" _It's too quiet."_

" _Why won't people look at me?"_

" _Why won't Sakura-chan look at me?"_

" _It's never going to change."_

" _You'll never be Hokage."_

" _No one will ever see you, for you."_

And, more recently, _"what if Sakura-chan never comes back?_ " The voice repeated itself often, never slowing even when it was all the young man could do to keep from stabbing his own ears out.

 _"What if Sakura-chan never comes back?_

" _But… what if Sakura-chan never comes back?_

 _What if Sakura-chan never comes back?!"_

A new addition, this one sounded the loudest and stabbed the boy deeper than anything else. He'd tried so hard to ignore it, but the cold glare from that day, as well as every other day since finally demanded that he at least consider that she… she might really never come back…

Naruto had seen Sakura angry, he had even seen her outright furious, usually at him. But he'd never seen her hurt before. Not like that day. And never by _him_. The image of her grief-stricken expression remained long after his bruises had faded back into the lightly tanned skin wrapped around his form. As much as he wanted to deny the possibility, as unaware of the situation as he might have been, Sakura might really not forgive him. And even worse, this time he was too afraid to use his new powers to try and win her back.

Even if he dared, he couldn't make her _trust_ him. He couldn't make her _love_ him again or even _like_ him. At best he could force her into a relationship that would only hurt her, and him by proxy. He'd made that mistake once, too stupid too naive to know better. But a second time? She would be at his side, unable to leave him, but miserable, and that… wasn't a life Naruto wanted. He never wanted to force himself on someone's life, but for them to welcome him into it.

So… then, what? What was he supposed to do? Had that really been his one and only chance at happiness; stolen out from under him before he even had the opportunity to spend his life with the girl of his dreams? Was he just doomed to a life of isolation, always staring out at others who were lucky enough to find their matches?

And just like that Naruto found himself returning to that lonely, isolated child forced to watch on while everyone around him returned home to their families, leaving him by himself as the sun set on another day.

It was like a cold fist closed around his heart. He didn't want that! He didn't want to be left behind. He didn't want to go back to being alone! But then, what was he supposed to do? And just like that, his line of thought was forced towards his blonde counterpart, considering her interest possibly for the very first time.

Ino was… kind of weird, in Naruto's mind. Obsessing over stupid things like clothes and makeup, although, that could just be attributed to her gender. She seemed to have a bit of a temper, but seeing as how he'd dated Sakura holding that against her didn't exactly seem fair. All in all, Naruto wasn't really sure what to do with her.

He'd made her obsessed with him. Or, more accurately, so that she only ever saw him as a person she would be interested in. That much control, affecting her that much was way more than the young man would normally attempt. But at that moment… he'd been scared, just like he was scared now.

The thought of just sending her away seemed cruel now that he reflected on her circumstances. He'd just lamented the possibility of spending the rest of his life alone, and if he never returned her feelings, that's _exactly_ what he would be condemning her to. Unless his powers ran out, which nothing had happened to allude to, he really was her only option now.

But then the thought of dating her came across like he was just abusing his powers. A prospect he'd justified for Sakura, he was in love with her after all, but he couldn't say the same about Ino. At best, she made him curious. He just didn't want to be alone again, but did that mean he was ready to spend the rest of his life with her?

No. But… maybe he could at least try and get to know her a little? Take her out on a date. Talk to her. Get to know her. She wouldn't be Sakura but he at least owed it to her to try. A-At least until his girlfriend eventually forgave him! _If_ she forgave him… and if she didn't, well, at least he wouldn't be alone.

Besides, something told him she wasn't exactly the type to take no for an answer. Stubbornness was something he could admire and knew pretty well himself.

He'd made a decision, and afterward part of him even felt slightly better. It was a plan, something other than the downward spiral that had been his life this past week.

Turning to start his meal, Naruto allowed his gaze to linger on the unkempt mattress for another second before forcing the image to fall towards the back of his head. And when he sat down to eat, he even managed to find a smile appearing at the salty, miso flavor filling his mouth and the warmth of noodles and broth seeping into his body.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey, guys! Enjoy the chapter? Too angst-y? Not enough naked ninjas? Let me know with a review. And if you want to see more of this story be sure to follow so you know right away when I update. And speaking of…**

 **UPDATE SCHEDULE** **: okay, so the way things have been going is less than ideal, to put it simply. Even though I've effect dropped all of my stories except the three most popular, I'm still not updating as fast as I would have liked. Thankfully, a new development has encouraged me to set up a time table for all of my stories. Which, is as follows:**

 **Genjutsu Gone Right** **: will now be updating at LEAST once a month. Depending on the length of chapters, I may be able to work in two shorter updates, but no matter what by the end of the month I am going to do my best to give you a regular update to look forward to. Hopefully this will quell the reviews crying out for me to reconsider abandoning this story (Which I have never even considered, BTW.)**

 **Sense of Semblance and Vault 69** **: From now on these stories will be updated on ALTERNATING MONTHS, which means in addition to GGR updating ONCE a month, I intend to update one of these stories to go with it. Whichever story does not get updated, it will be updated the following month. This month, October, I intend to update sense of semblance. Which means vault will get an update in November. This will continue until one of the stories are complete.**

 **To the people who took the time to read this after the chapter, I thank you. And I hope some of you are happy to hear this news. I understand that there will be a number of you unsatisfied with the pace I'm taking, and for that I apologize and ask that you understand that I am working hard to write faster while maintaining the quality that has brought all of you here.**

 **Next Chapter: November**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, happy Thanksgiving to all my lovely readers. Just wanted to let you guys know that I am thankful for every one of you. A little cheesy, I know, but true. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter, and if so be sure to leave a review, follow, favorite, or any combination of the three. Show me how thankful you all are by enjoying this chapter.**

 **For those of you wondering about** **Vault 69** **, I promise that the chapter will be out this month. My editor is just needs to take his time to polish up all of the mistakes. Please be patient.**

 **Tag(s): Masturbation.**

 **Girl(s): Sakura**

 **Edited: LordsofEmberCelica**

 **Words: 10,852**

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

Sakura's arms flexed against the gaggle of eager dogs threatening to yank her shoulder free from its socket, loud yips and growls filling the otherwise quite air as they jumped and played at her feet.

D rank missions were the worst, but D rank missions for the Inuzuka clan were a unique and special kind of hell, almost always ending up with the team unlucky enough to have been assigned such requests either cleaning out soiled kennels or getting dragged around the village by the pack, all the while hoping and praying not to draw the short straw and have to clean up after them. Compared to the many other assignments handed out by the Hokage, in Sakura's book it was second only to the few times they'd been forced to babysit actual babies. Give her a kennel and a garden hose over a dirty diaper any day…

All she could do was glare, straining against the large number of bestial canines that threatened to overwhelm her thin frame. Finally, gritting her teeth, the strength in her limbs seemed to double as she yanked back on the leashes wrapped around her fist, cutting short the barking and playful yips while forcing the many pairs of brown eyes in her direction.

"Calm down!" she commanded with a tone of voice she had only ever directed at a certain blond knucklehead, the warning in her gaze clear enough for even animals to recognize. Immediately their excitement and playful cheer was replaced by cowed haunches with tails tucked firmly between their legs. Her relief was palpable, leaving the lone kunoichi to sigh before remembering her three male companions… whose eyes all seemed to be staring at her as she nervously glanced in their direction. And suddenly, that volcanic temper sputtered out, replaced by the cold dejection she had long since grown used to carrying throughout these forced missions.

Her pace continued as it had been, the animals under her control now orderly and well managed as they walked trailing behind her. It would have been comical if it wasn't so apparent that the behavior stemmed from pure fear. If anything, the picture only served to piss her off even more. Rather than draw more attention to herself, she kept her temper under control.

Sakura was happy being a ninja, even if her reasons for joining the academy had changed since her initial youthful dreams. Memories of herself picturing the Uchiha prodigy saving a glorified, and quite honestly disproportioned, version of herself played like some mimicry of her current person. In fact, it was almost strange for the pinkette to recognize her feelings for the dark-haired boy on her squad, or that she'd ever felt anything for him in the first place.

Even glancing at him now she found none of the butterflies or nervous quivering from before. He was handsome enough true, that hadn't changed. But what she'd used to find attractive in his dark, mysterious eyes and the pale skin of his neck, she now felt only indifference towards. A stark change in comparison to the gravatonic pull that _demanded_ her attention towards her second male companion; whose bright blond hair and dreamy blue eyes had grown on her, almost like a fungus or mold. But it had grown, nevertheless.

Carefully, slowly, her emerald gaze shifted towards the boy in question too preoccupied with his own hoard of beasts to notice her attention. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Her gaze lingered, longer than she knew she should allow, but she couldn't help herself. Because despite what Naruto might think, despite even what she kept telling herself, her feelings for the blond hadn't changed. In reality, it was only her understanding of their relationship that had shifted to what it was now.

Being with Naruto had been fantastic, amazing even if she were honest. In fact, it had been everything that that young girl had ever wanted in a relationship and then some! He made her feel loved, cherished and special, like she was important for a change, like she was the center of his world. Which is why she knew that she could _never_ live up to what he thought, or rather, imagined of her.

The reminder of her shortcomings cracked across her consciousness like a whip, sharp and stinging. Embarrassment bloomed beneath her cheeks, and her eyes forcefully jerked back towards the long road and wooden fence posts on their trail. She let the disappointment that had been toiling in her chest frame her expression.

Even before she'd found him in bed with her stupid ex-best friend, there had been doubts that plagued the adolescent. For a young woman, how could there not have been? She'd managed to keep them at bay, of course, taking comfort from the way her lover stared at her longingly and lovingly, both during sex or when they were just mingling before, between or after missions and training. But whatever shield of confidence she'd managed to construct had been obliterated in a single swoop as soon as she walked in to see him and Ino wrapped in each other's arms.

Each time she even tried to think about returning to how things had been, to how _they_ had been all she could see was the image of Naruto's smooth tanned complexion glistening in the sweat of his exertions, as well as the hot blush that seemed to reach all the way down the light pink of his nipples. That in of itself wasn't bad, what made it so painful was Ino's damned smirk staring back at her from Sakura's own face as she sat atop her lover and boyfriend, smug, knowing that in a single _day_ she'd managed to give him the kind of pleasure Sakura had failed to deliver even after an entire _month_ in each other's arms.

Again she was doomed to come in second place behind her rival, only this time in a way that actually mattered.

That day, the day she'd had her body stolen only to find it used against her, she'd honestly thought that she'd lost her boyfriend completely. Standing in that room before him, she had been terrified by the thought of hearing him say the words that would end their relationship, especially in front of Ino. So instead of subjecting herself to the shame of her own failures, she did the only thing that made sense, she cut him to the chase and ended their relationship before he had the chance to hurt her.

Of course, at the time she hadn't been thinking nearly so rationally. All of that fear and insecurity she'd suffered under for so long had melded together into an expression of pure rage. She could still feel the firm muscles of Naruto's neck and the bone of his jaw against her fist. The last time she had been able to touch him. The last time she would have seen him, if not for the fact they were forced together a handful of hours each day because they were on the same squad. Even still, she'd managed to guard her heart and face by communicating with her former boyfriend as little as possible. After all, once he'd been with a girl like Ino, how could she ever compete?

Which is why she'd been so surprised by his reaction the following day.

Knowing she'd have to face him, she hadn't been sure what to expect, just as she hadn't known what kind of face to make when they were finally reunited on the dusty morning road. But stumbling along, she was horrified to see him already waiting along with their third teammate. When it finally came down to it, she ended up falling back into their old pattern without even thinking.

She adamantly ignored the boy no matter how much she might wish to do the opposite. And yet, rather than return the favor, or worse, she was amazed to find the boy doing the same. Or rather, had once more reverted to the mercilessly constant stream of hail marries of interest that had, at one time, threatened to drive her towards murder.

He asked how her day was. He seemed to talk about nothing at all, switching from subject to subject as though he thought he might find some way to earn a response from her. He tried to get her to notice him period, only to fail in every respect. Well, at least from his perspective he was failing. In reality his nagging attention was devoured like water to a wilting plant. More than a few times he appeared to try and give her some kind explanation. And it was those times, and only those times that Sakura gave him her attention, usually in the form of glare or equally warm gestures.

Would she be happy getting back together with him? Possibly. Did she miss him? More than she ever thought possible. But she could already see where that kind of relationship would go, with her just being her, until Naruto finally realized she wasn't nearly as perfect as he seemed to have imagined after all these years.

Eventually, he would lose interest in her and realize just how little she had to offer him, how much time and effort he'd wasted on what had been nothing but his imagination. How could he not, especially now that he had experienced what it was like to be with a girl like Ino? At that point, he would stop reaching out to her altogether, or even notice her presence.

 _That_ was what Sakura feared, and it was what encouraged her to keep up this mask of anger even when she knew it was hurting him. What he wanted, it was an impossibility, something that had never existed. Years and years of chasing her through their time in the academy had given birth to a vision of her that she just couldn't live up too. He'd put her up on a pedestal and chased after her as though she were some priceless treasure, which meant letting him see and know the _real_ girl, the real her could only disappoint him.

She wasn't perfect. She wasn't beautiful, maybe not ugly, but other than her hair she was an average girl by most standards. She was smart, yes but what good did that do other than to make her sound like a mouthy know-it-all?

So, she'd decided, why let him know the truth, why do something that would only hurt them both when she could let him keep his perfect dream and avoid being rejected when he realized it was just that? Before they'd gotten together, before he'd managed to talk his way into her panties, they had a perfectly fine relationship.

She hadn't appreciated it before, but she realized her mistake now. As long as she stayed just out of reach, keeping him at arm's length, he would continue chasing her until he finally gave up. And in a way, she could still keep him for herself in the same way.

It was hardly ideal, but it was still preferable knowing the alternative. At least this way she could keep him close, she could keep his interest for a time while preserving his dream even after he moved on. And for her, that was enough, to know he would move on, that he would find somebody better who wouldn't disappoint him while she would never have to feel her heart get torn apart by his rejection.

Submitting to her insecurities and twisted reasoning, Sakura worked through her missions in silence, sparing when instructed and doing her best to trudge through the chores they'd been assigned quickly and efficiently. All so that she could reach her favorite part of the day that much faster.

* * *

Handing the leashes back to the feral-looking woman in charge of the kennels, Sakura's relief doubled with anticipation as she quietly waited for today's attempt to get her attention. The one interaction she allowed herself.

She pretended not to care, of course, she had to, merely biding her time while Kakashi gave his farewells before vanishing in a poof of smoke and twirling leaves. Sasuke's quick departure marked the moment she had been waiting for as she turned towards her own home. And yet walking away, it was as though her entire existence focused on the space facing her back.

She was almost hyperaware of the blond boy's presence while her ears strained to hear the first hint of his voice. When his bright voice never sounded, she couldn't help but feel her pace slow, more and more to give him that much more time, all before coming to a complete stop.

Her airy expression pinched, furling despite knowing better. Every inch of her being screamed to look back, to the point she had to physically stop herself from whipping around to see what was keeping her crush. Instead, her posture remained straight and proud, all while her face glanced around in a gesture she promised herself seemed nonchalant. And yet, any and all pretense of disinterest vanished as soon as she managed to see her crush's expression.

He was watching her, which should have sent her heart thundering with enough joy to keep her from moping around the house for another day. But his expression, the… resignation in his eyes stopped whatever pleasure she might have derived from the gesture.

Naruto seemed sad, looking at her. And he lacked the usual desperation for her attention that she'd come to expect from him. It might have been self-centered, but she liked how much he seemed to desire her, even if she knew it was misplaced. Seeing him without it worried her however, it worried her a lot. Allowing her disinterested expression to drop, a small frown formed before, without warning, the downtrodden young boy closed his eyes, breaking their connection, and then turned around without a word to start on his way home.

His sudden departure left Sakura to stare after him for a change. And for the first time, it was she who wanted to call out to him.

* * *

Doubt ran rampant through her mind as she made her way home. What had she done wrong, had something happened today that was different from before, or could her plan have…?

Her face pinched. Well, that would just be too perfect, wouldn't it? She did her best to come up with this big strategy to keep Naruto to herself for as long as she could, only for it to push him into moving on after so little time. If that were the case, irony didn't quite describe the turn of events justice. Instead, poetic seemed a bit more apt, she always did hate poetry…

Did he lose interest in her already? Had he moved on that quickly? Or was he just tired of chasing someone that never seemed to return the favor? Her insecurities continued to play their games with her mind. Already her usually fair features had become drawn and gaunt, while all of her worst fears came one after the next. It wasn't long before she was accepting the possibility that Naruto might have already found a new girlfriend. Her progress home came to a halt as she was frozen on the spot. But then, rationality began to worm its way back into her thinking, allowing her to see how crazy she was being.

Just because he didn't call after her today didn't mean anything was wrong. In fact, it should be expected even, yes. _"That makes sense, he was probably just tired. Wrestling with those dogs must have been hard after a long day, after all. And his spar with Sasuke seemed to wear him out. There are plenty of reasons for him to be so quiet._ _More, in fact, that leads away from a new love interest than towards,"_ she told herself. She would see him tomorrow after all; everything was going to be okay and she still had some time left to enjoy what they had.

Sakura's mind, the one feature about herself the young woman seemed to value, continued to try and rationalize Naruto's strange behavior, swaying from dragging deprecation to anxiously dismissal. Where was the logical girl her teachers and parents had always praised for her ability to stay calm? Lately, it seemed like she'd been murdered, dropped in a ditch out in Rain country, and left to feed the birds. But then, somehow, Naruto appeared to the have that effect on people…

Even as a young girl she'd been known for her maturity, never having been one to get in trouble or act without thinking. She'd preened under the compliments at the time, reveling in the attention she never found in her peers. Except now, she saw herself behaving so strangely and making decisions that were impossibly inane. No matter how much time she tried to spend thinking things out, ultimately turning that asset into a weapon against herself. In the end, drifting listlessly towards her home, Sakura still hadn't made up her mind. Dwelling on the issue in a personal form of torture rather than using that brain power to find a solution.

"Maybe… maybe I should try and do something, just to be safe?" she asked herself as she opened the door to her parents' home. The lock and tumblers clicked and rolled as she locked the door behind her, entirely unperturbed by the hollow silence of the empty house. "Not talk to him of course! But… something. Just to make sure he doesn't give up on me already. Just to keep things the way they are a little longer." And yet, Sakura couldn't stop another voice from speaking up from the deepest corner of her mind, asking if that was really what she wanted, pointing out how eventually this was the result she was planning towards and expecting.

No answer came to her as she thought either of the questions over. Did she really want this? Was she going to be okay with this happening?

She didn't feel good about her decision to try and bait him a little, nor did she feel particularly relieved at the prospect of him moving on. It would have been more accurate to say it simply lessened the panic that had stricken her seeing Naruto walk away. It was adequate, something she could live with, rather than what she allowed herself to want. And for a girl who lived her entire life always feeling like she was in second place, settling was unfortunately familiar.

Things were going to be okay. She hadn't lost anything yet. And if she were smart, she wouldn't have to lose anything for some time.

The girl was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. Thankfully, she knew that if she kept herself busy, she could keep herself from thinking about any more topics she knew would only cause her more stress. Glancing around the familiar space the young woman was having a little trouble thinking of what could keep her mind occupied.

Usually, after missions, Sakura would return to find one of her parents enlisting her help with invoices or organizing their orders. When one was about to be filled she even found herself helping her father carry the heavy loads into the wagon her parents used to travel the country. But this month's orders had already been filled, loaded, and filed. And her parents would be gone for at least another week before they made it back from the capitol.

The hospital had been an odd development in her life, albeit one she was thankful for, if only because the familiar sense of accomplishment she'd found in learning from the friendly nurses who had taken her under their wing. After teaching her the contraceptive technique and seeing her proficiency in the field, they had been kind enough to invite her back for a few supplementary medical lessons.

It was safe and easy, for her at least, and not completely unlike the time she'd spent in the academy. Rather than running through the forest and getting all sweaty or beaten up by the two physically stronger boys in her squad, her lessons were filled with chakra control, memorization and, best of all, reading. Anatomy books and the nature of chakra, sure. But still!

She'd graduated from the academy as the number one kunoichi of her class thanks to her test scores. Unfortunately, that success had not translated as well as she'd hoped into the real world. She could understand and calculate the angle of kunai trajectory or measure the inherent tension required to lay a weighted trip wire all day and night. But what good did that do if she wasn't fast enough to throw the weapon before Sasuke and Naruto were right in front of her? How much did knowing how to balance a trap matter if she wasn't strong enough to lift the log on the other end? The only thing that made her great before graduation had become almost detrimental in the field. But… not at the hospital.

She didn't need strength or speed to learn how to heal people. And just looking at her teammates after a spar, she knew that kind of skill would be useful. For the first time since she earned her Hitai-ate, she felt like she might actually be useful and able to contribute to the village. Which, compared to the assignments she had been stuck with lately, sounded better than she could have hoped for. Maybe it was just because she was on a squad with an Uchiha prodigy and Naruto who never seemed to slow down, but Sakura would be lying if she said she hadn't been questioning her placement. But with this, at least she had a chance.

Learning the basics and nature of medical chakra was just too fascinating. She hadn't quite gotten it yet, but she felt like she was close! But then she remembered that she'd already gone to see the nurses yesterday. And the day before that. And… the day before that. And while the group of women had been more than happy to nurture a budding medical kunoichi when they could, they still had their jobs to do. Sakura already felt like she'd been pushing her luck the other day

So, no parents and no training to keep her busy. What else did that leave her? Not much. But that was okay because when it came to entertaining herself by herself, Sakura had _years_ of practice. This particular solution came with an unusually pungent whiff of her stale sweat.

She paused mid-stride, her bored expression furled as she recognized the stink clinging to her skin. This afternoon had been unusually muggy, and the musky cloud of perspiration mingled with the undeniable scent of the dogs they had been walking was impossible to miss. Sakura felt disgusted with herself for not noticing sooner. Her eyes found the door to the bath down the hall, something close to hesitation starting in her gaze, almost as though she was reluctant to enter the room.

The green irises of her eyes shifted suspiciously, turning to the corner of her face as though to avoid staring directly at the empty hallway. Her lips, pinched in a line, parted enough for the top row of her teeth to sink into the bottom pillow.

She was the picture of indecision, which was odd considering how much the young woman enjoyed her baths. Especially after a long day out in the sun. The decision of what she could do to pass the time was decided for her.

Opening the door, she sighed at the familiar layout. It was a traditional setup, with a separate area to wash before luxuriating in the smaller bath. Filling the basin up with steaming water, she stepped back into the separate room beside the tile and bright lights to strip out of her qipao and shorts.

Lifting her collar overhead, the girly young woman had to suppress a flinch as she was blasted with the full scent of her sweat. She held the fabric away from her with evident distaste, pinching it between two outstretched fingers before allowing it to drop into the nearby hamper basket. She would do the actual laundry later, another chore to keep her mind distracted, but right now all she could focus on was feeling the salty granules of dried sweat clinging to her skin and urging her to remove the rest of her clothes.

Her shorts were next, slipping down her thighs without another thought. Reaching back, she pinched the clips of her bra only to sigh as soon as the elastic straps went slack around her shoulders and sides. Free from their cotton confinements, the meager mounds made the subtle shift against her skin, settling against her ribs gently. Finally her panties came last, falling from her thighs and exposing the image of her femininity.

Pink hair crowned her privates, thin and wispy yet growing fuller by the month. The strands faded along the cleft that shaped her folds, soft and shaded an innocent color. Bending over to pick up her discarded underwear, the pert shape of her backside parted to reveal the full line of her sex as it blended into the crevice of her rear in a quick flash of flesh that went forgotten as she balled up the wad of thin cotton before finally striding towards the main room. She opened the glass door and was about to step inside when her passing reflection in the nearby mirror caught her attention.

She stopped, turned and regarded her naked body with an unreadable expression. After a moment's hesitation, her hands settled around the base of her breasts, pushing up to cup the soft mounds before frowning.

Turning again, she arched hips she didn't entirely own yet while looking for the womanly shape she'd learned to aspire towards growing up. Dropped her hands, she bent her back, pressing them towards the ceiling while her eyes searched for any sign that they might have grown in the twenty-four hours since she'd last checked. She dropped the awkward pose with a sigh, finally giving up and forced to accept she was the same shapeless girl she'd always been.

The sting was sharp but familiar. When Sakura was younger, it had been worse, waiting for her body to blossom, as Mebuki had called it, only to realize she'd no doubt inherited the older Haruno's thin frame and less than enticing curves. Her mother was a beautiful woman, even now. But no one would call her buxom, or even mature, figure wise. And genetics had doomed her to the same eventual fate; no matter how much milk she forced down. However, such realizations had grown harsher as of late, for reasons that were more than obvious.

She did her best to put her disappointment behind her, walking nude into the tiled room to quickly check on the tub now full of warm water. She cut off the faucet, feeling goosebumps prickle the smooth surface of her arms and shoulders as the heated steam contrasted against the cool air-conditioned temperature of the house.

Compared to the rest of her parent's home the actual bathroom was a little more old-fashioned than the newer models most people in the village had. When she was little and had often taken baths with her parents, she enjoyed the outdated style, thinking it was fun. But after experiencing the ease of Naruto's simple shower and tub setup, all she could do was look at her own options and sigh.

A short pink bench was already sat near a large sink set against one of the walls. The pinkette carefully shifted her weight to sit down, feeling the smooth surface settle against her bare cheeks. Opening the faucet, she reached for the nearby head, testing the water against her hand before turning the spray on her body.

The water pressure was firm and berated her skin with a comfortable heat. Her frown disappeared, replaced by an open expression of bliss that only a woman seemed to understand after washing away the sweat of a long day. She took her time enjoying the sensation, soaking her skin and feeling the loose dirt shed away. Her eyes closed as she turned the water on her face and allowed the droplets to trickle down and soak into the long nurtured strands of her prized hair.

Soap and a loofa were set nearby as soon as she was finished with the spray. Applying a generous amount into the sponge, she sighed at the natural rosy sent that spread throughout the room as she worked it into a rich lather. Any lingering depression was forgotten as she rubbed the suds against her skin, basking in the comfort of cleanliness

Around her shoulders, under her arms, up and down her deceivingly thin biceps, her hands drew the soapy sponge across her upper body scrubbing away the day's layer of grime and dead skin. Turning towards her collar and neck, she drew in a deep breath enjoying the relaxing scent and sensation. The same abrasive texture drifted lower as she started on her chest, drawing the porous surface in slow circles towards her breasts. Eyes closed, the quiet smile she'd been enjoying slipped a fraction of an inch, although her hands continued without pause.

The sponge was warm and soft, with a surface that was only slightly textured as it drew against the tips of her breasts. With each pass, a pleasurable tingle was left in its wake along with the trail of glistening suds. Enough that the young woman found herself spending a few additional minutes painting her chest with the soapy mess.

Hers responded as any healthy body would, and the soft nubbins standing from the pale pink of her areola began to tighten and rise, becoming even more sensitive to the thoughtless indulgence. Her hands moved slowly, shifting to one breast and then the other as though she'd already forgotten she'd just cleaned it. Soon she pressed harder against the mounds, wringing the sponge against her body while excess soap slipped down her belly and between her legs. Small they might be, but it was that particular shape that allowed for sensitivity that lulled her into such casual lust

A sigh slipped through her parted lips. Her heartbeat increased of its own volition, answering the call of sudden blood flow as parts of her body swelled in reaction to her activity. An itch started between her legs urging her shapely thighs together in a weak attempt at friction. Hand in her lap; it was a natural motion to glide between her slippery thighs. It was only as the tip of her finger brushed against the swelling nub still tucked beneath her hood that her eyes snapped open and she realized what she'd been about to do.

…again.

The sensation of her finger standing out to brush against her lower lips finally pierced the fog of pleasure. She looked down at her chest only to blink at the blushing mounds, slightly swollen from the pleasure of her own hand. The warmth of the water had already painted her pale skin a softer rosy hue, and yet she couldn't help but notice the color appeared to stand out even more around specific areas.

She didn't appear shocked. She didn't even look overly concerned about her own wandering hands. If anything her expression was one of disappointment, with a healthy dose of shame. God, was she this far gone; to the point she couldn't even take a shower without…? Her hot cheeks burned even brighter. Squeezing her eyes shut, there was little she could do against the small shiver of sensation starting between her legs, and then up her spine.

Part of her considered standing up to dry off right then and there, stopping only because she could still feel the oils and dirt itching at the surface of her scalp.

This was ridiculous; she was here to take a bath. She could be naked for a few minutes without it leading to anything else. Hopefully, whoever she was trying to convince was more easily coerced than herself. Despite her words, even she couldn't deny the sudden haste she found in her motions as she went about scrubbing the rest of the body.

Rather than linger on the moment, Sakura did her best to shake off the lingering warmth stored beneath her flesh, turning the sponge to her legs in an attempt to escape her own body.

Much like her arms, the young girl's legs stretched from her frame as long thin columns. Although they had been slightly more shapely as of late, taking on subtle curves that would fill out more as she continued to grow.

Forced from her body, she stretched forward to rub against her shins and calves, quickly working her way back to the thicker pillar of her thighs. A layer of sparkling soap was left in her wake, clinging and dripping from the length of her legs in much the same way it now dripped from her breasts.

It wasn't until her hands reached for the inside of her thighs and she moved to splay her legs for better access that her fast motions slowed. The shame on her features redoubled, but not enough to disguise the want that itched at the apex of her femininity.

"Just a shower, just a shower," she repeated to herself as she allowed the loofa to slowly scrub against the tender flesh around her sex. If anything, getting so close without allowing herself to be touched only made the skin there feel even _more_ sensitive, enough to draw a sigh from her strained lips. "I'm just here to clean myself. That is it. Nothing else." And while adamant to refuse the embarrassment of actually touching herself, the fact that she needed to remind herself at all was a humiliation all of its own.

She cleaned one leg and then the other. And yet, when it came time to move on she found her hands lingering just like before. Except this time she was all too aware of the pleasure building within her genitals, an irritating sensation without any of the discomfort. At least, not any kind that she was used to. This frustration was hot and pulsed and begged for her fingers to reach down rub it away. But she knew better; knew that if she paid it any attention, it would only get worse.

She'd never had this problem before, of course. Before _he'd_ allowed her to feel what her body was capable of feeling, and before she'd suddenly been cut off from the energetic blond's regular attention. Yet another side effect of her relationship with the blond boy she loved to hate. Now, embarrassing as it was to admit, her body continued to crave the sensations of their lovemaking. Desire the young woman found herself wholly incapable of fulfilling on her own. But that didn't stop her from trying. No matter how much she might pray for the contrary.

It was too embarrassing to even think about, that she couldn't even control her own arousal. What was she, a dog in heat? Before, she'd had the luxury of blaming Naruto and his own excitement to crawl on top of her naked body day after day. After all, she was just putting up with him, right? She didn't actually _enjoy_ having sex …at least, that's what she'd told herself, no matter how ridiculous. Now, she had no such smoke screen. And now, she was only beginning to understand that she might have been enjoying their afternoons more than she had allowed herself to admit.

She could feel that hunger now, pulsing between her legs. It was almost too easy to think back and imagine that impossible sensation as the young man entered her body for the first time, braced against her opening until she finally gave in. Followed by a tight pinch, and then a quick rush of tingles as her wetness was all too eager to ease his progress deeper into her warmth.

Their first coupling had only hurt, along with the second. And yet at that time, there had been another sensation she hadn't understood enough to identify; that only increased with each passing session. And now that she was forced to go without, she found herself craving the odd pressure from within her loins. Enough that she was even willing to try and fulfill the need herself.

The urge came upon her more and more regularly as of late. And to her shame, she'd been indulging in them just as often. Enough to even make her cautious about being naked and alone in the bath. Then again, considering how things had turned out, it appeared as though she'd had every right to be.

Her cheeks were warm, almost feverish as her hand lingered between her open thighs. Looking down, she could see the dark pink hair of her slit, where the skin itself had swelled under the bright flush of blood. What had been a perfectly normal part of her body now appeared puffy and irritated, as well as sensitive enough to feel even the slightest shift in the air as it blew against her skin. Finally, watching her hand move, she allowed the sponge to connect with the sensitive skin of her folds, shuttering as soon as she recognized the pressure.

"I just need to clean myself." She told herself, a wanton expression shattering any illusion of the truth of her intentions. But she was just a young woman; one that had just discovered her own body, and it would be some time before she learned the restraint that came with maturity.

Her head tilted back, eyes closing in a different kind of relief, she began to rub the sponge against her swollen lips. Gentle, and careful not to press too hard, even this amount of attention was enough to send a rush of sparks ticking her lower back and spine. Without being aware, her body responded on its own accord, opening her legs even wider until her posture appeared shameless. At the same time, her pert bottom inched towards the edge of her bench to better angle her opening towards the friction in her hand. In the steam heavy room, her breathing began to pick up, and she continued to take special care in cleaning her most private of areas.

The posture forced her small breasts up, their sharp pointed shapes hugging the lithe curves of her ribs with the barest amount of jiggling from her rhythmic motions. Beneath, her heart, whose pace had been building up to this point, now, reached a pace that visibly beat against the inside of her cavity. Carrying blood as it rushed to and from the swollen glands that fueled her lust. Soon she could even feel the steady muscles thrum inside the stubborn nub peeking out from the top of her lips. The hand that wasn't currently busy quickly found itself reaching back to prevent the girl from falling flat on her back on the warm wet tile.

Against her sex itself, Sakura enjoyed a mixture of sensations. Still holding the sponge, she didn't shy away from the occasional finger straying out to brush along the full length of her folds. Rocking her wrist and hips, her entire body had quickly found a rhythm unique only to her that carried her towards the pleasure her body had begun to crave. The one soap laced finger finding itself tracing her velvety entrance was becoming especially bold.

She still remembered the first time she was brave enough to explore the narrow passage of her sex. It still amazed her, kind of, just how soft she was, and not to mention how…wet that part of her could get. In the bath, it was harder to tell but that first night, tossing and turning before she finally gave in, she'd had to sleep without bottoms or underwear, having thoroughly soaked through both after a solid half hour working herself towards her release. That had been an awkward morning the next day, quickly shucking both fragrant garments into the hamper before her parents could wonder why she was wearing two different sets of sleepwear. But it hadn't stopped her from marveling over what she'd experienced, which was precisely what she was experiencing right this moment.

Only the smallest amount of pressure was required for the dainty finger to carefully slip inside the hot pocket of feminine flesh. The motion was embarrassingly well practiced by this point, so despite the immediate pleasure Sakura found from the sensation of her finger slipping inside her body she couldn't help but feel her cheeks redden a deeper shade of red than she imagined possible. The small intrusion was enough to send a shiver of warmth throughout her body from head to hertoes as she began to pump her wrist slowly. Finally, any more attempts to disguise her intentions were discarded as the limp loofa finally slipped from her weakened grip and fell to the floor.

Her entire body glistened with white suds while her hand began making small motions between her parted thighs. No longer drawn in relief, a new kind of pressure now pinched her features as it began to build and tighten around her invading digit. In a matter of minutes, even her breath appeared to clench in her lungs, made evident by the soft mewls of guilty pleasure that escaped with every sigh.

This was all Naruto's fault. He'd done this to her. He'd made her into this type of woman. Her life had been perfectly adequate until he'd barged in! Except now he was gone, and she couldn't go back. And that honestly might scare her even more than the thought of losing him. Which belied a truth even more profound than the pure lust she used as an excuse.

Yes, she missed having sex. Going from almost every afternoon to none at all had been a shock to her system that she hadn't been prepared for. But under that natural arousal and the now instinctive pulsing need that demanded attention was a hunger for something more than an orgasm.

She missed _him_. She missed how it had felt to press herself into his arms and just be held as their warm bodies dripped even more bodily fluid onto each other. She missed the firm sensation of his pecs under her tracing fingers, and she missed the impression of his arms settling around her shoulders and back while she slowly drifted off; knowing that he would still be there when she woke up.

This pleasure that she had learned to enjoy was as close as she could get to feel that safe warmth he instilled in her. A semblance of an echo she'd learned to associate with toe tingling pleasure and the only time of the day she didn't feel quite as lonely locked up in her parents' home instead of spending the day with her boyfriend. This pleasure she felt as her finger continued to wiggle within the tight confines of her youthful opening; it was a crutch that, when she closed her eyes, she could almost allow herself to pretend it was still him enjoying her body. Staring at her with such… love and desire that she had almost allowed herself to believe that she could be what he saw and imagined.

She continued her fantasy for a handful of moments, enjoying the sensation of her finger as she tried to work herself deeper with each thrust. Eyes clinched, all she had to do was remember his face, that dumb smile and even dumber expression; doing her best to repeat the sensations she remembered feeling as Naruto got her ready. And yet something wasn't right. Obviously. As embarrassing as it was to admit, she was used to feeling… larger fingers parting her lips and invading her passage. Naruto's hands came to mind, callused and clumsy at the time. And it was no wonder her own dainty manicured set were insubstantial. Maybe… if she tried adding another…

Sakura did just that, anxiously allowing her ring finger to join her middle inside her body. Relief came moments later, and she felt the small of her back arch to accommodate the stretching sensation of her inner muscles. It wasn't the same as what she was used too. But it helped. Oh my, it helped a lot…

The added girth massaging her inner walls only added to her pleasure, which she was more than happy to accept. The fantasy playing in her mind changed to allow Naruto's lips against her sensitive breasts, which she was forced to substitute with her fingers gently rolling the hardened nub between them, their soft pads a poor substitute for his rough lips, just as the flicking of her thumb couldn't match the warmth of his tongue. What had once been a shy, guilty act was quickly consuming her, which would have been understandable had she not jumped forward so willingly.

"Naruto-kun…" his name fell from her lips, over the quickened breaths that now filled her head with steam. Over the course of her life, it was amazing to think how many ways she said that five letter word and in so many ways. Angry, annoyed, spiteful, and most recently longingly, with relief and desire. And now, feeling a tingle start at the base of her spine, desperate would be added to that list.

"Narut-!"

The tension she'd been feeling wind around her fingers snapped and the small noises she'd been keeping trapped by biting her lips down erupted into a full moan that filled the otherwise quite bathroom.

Still open, the muscles lining her thighs clenched and quivered with a frantic spasm, each a throng of pleasure as it raced through her body. Twitching motions pulled her knees in the same direction, but the hand still buried in her folds made it impossible to close her legs completely. Like this, her small frame contorted and curled until the miniature seizer of pleasure passed.

For the next few minutes, the only thing Sakura managed to do was breath. The sounds of her gasping filling the air tainted with the scent of her own arousal mixed with that of her soap and shampoo. For those few seconds following her release she managed to forget about Naruto, and Ino, and everything else outside of her warm, clean space. But the fog had to clear eventually, and unlike before, when coming down from her high there were no strong arms holding her, no firm chest pressed against her face, just the cold wet floor and her own tangle of limbs and hair.

Sakura didn't say anything, she didn't even bother thinking beyond simple motor functions. After taking a moment to collect herself, she simply picked herself up off the warm tile of her parent's bathroom and washed off the last of the soap still clinging to her form. Nozzle wand in hand, the firm spray of water carried the leftover suds over the hills and valleys of her feminine form before pouring down her feet and towards the drain in the center of the room.

She went through the same methodical motions for her hair, tiredly applying the shampoo and conditioner to the long strands of pink hair weighed down against her back. What used to be a long, luxuriating process handled with love and care was carried out with all the attention and concern of an automated reaction. Since getting up, her hollow expression finally shifted as she moved to step into the large tub still releasing wisps and tendrils of steam from its surface.

Sinking down into the warm bath, she found the temperature was just a little more than what could be called comfortable. She didn't move to change it, however, simply allowing the heat to turn her skin an irritated shade of pink. Dunked all the way up to her nose, the rest of her body remained lost under the surface while her eyes stared ahead, frowning as much as the green orbs could express.

What was left of her orgasm remained through small tremors and a pleasant tingle in the tips of her toes and fingers. Despite having run and jumped and fought for an entire afternoon with her squad, only now did she feel the comfortable sore strain in her limbs that came after a powerful burst of pleasure. It was a satisfying sensation and it was meant to calm her after getting so worked up. Instead, all she felt was oddly hollow, as though something was missing in her post-coital bliss.

That's why she hated giving into her own body. Because she knew, after her pleasure, all it would do was make her miss Naruto even more. It made her feel so weak, leaving a lingering sense of shame that she couldn't shake no matter how much she tried to promise herself that it was the last time; because she knew it wouldn't be. And as soon as she started to feel lonely her body would start back up again responding to the only kind of love she had ever known.

A sigh passed through her lips, creating a small storm of bubbles that tickled her nose. Underneath the water, one hand still cupped her sex, too sensitive to play with really, but allowing her fingers to pet the folds was strangely comforting. Lying back in her tub, she quickly decided that she had done enough thinking over the past week.

Knees tucked up against the smaller tub the rest of her body lay submerged in the uncomfortably warm water. And just like she'd decided, she allowed the thoughts that had been plaguing her, good and bad, to dissolve; leaving her mind pleasantly empty. She didn't move, didn't think, she just existed. When even that sometimes felt like a chore, letting the sensation in her limbs turn numb until even her body felt like it was someplace far away became habit. Unfortunately, even in this relaxing atmosphere, her thoughts wouldn't stay silent for long. And of course where else would they turn except towards Naruto….

She returned to her earlier dilemma. Of how Naruto had ignored her today, or whatever that expression had meant. And what she would do if he really had reached that point already.

Ideas passed through her mind, some more ridiculous than others, such as trying to entice him and lure him back into their familiar relationship of him chasing after her while she kept him at arm's length. True, this result was what she wanted…but she didn't want to lose him…entirely, and not this soon. After what felt like half an hour soaking Sakura eventually came back to the most obvious answer, talking to the blue eyed boy.

Her eyes cracked open, already frowning. The stress and worries had pushed the young woman past her breaking point allowing her to feel slightly numb to it all. Which actually seemed to help her, in a way. Like her body and mind, she felt oddly detached from the situation. Instead of immediately shooting the idea down she let it play out and imagined how such a confrontation would go.

She imagined her admittedly awkward attempt at appearing casual; which would lead to Naruto's overexcited return; which would make her happy; but she couldn't let him know she's happy; so she rolls her eyes instead… and then he would talk to her… and she might try and talk back. That would continue until she forgets that she's _supposed_ to be ignoring him so he could move on to find someone else. Then he invites her over to his house and she accepts without thinking because he makes it so easy! Where she just makes everything difficult and… and…

Tears were running down her face by this point, but she didn't move to wipe her eyes, letting the small trickle drain into her now lukewarm bath. It hurt to think about, but only because she knew it was true. She could hurt him all day and night, and he would still take her back like she was the next great flavor of ramen. A compliment she wouldn't have appreciated coming from anyone else.

That didn't subdue her fears, unfortunately. That he'll realize she isn't nearly as great as he's imagined. That he'll find out Ino or any other girl would no doubt treat him better. And the thought of losing him like that… Sakura paused, feeling her brow draw up in an arch as she realized, even if he did leave her, how could it make her feel worse than she already did…?

This had been the plan all along though hadn't it? Push him away, drive him away so he doesn't leave her, then they'll both be happy…

A voice in the back of her mind asked the simple question, if this was what she really wanted?

Silent for several long moments, it took her time to realize the difference between what she thought was right, and what she wanted. They were supposed to be the same thing, right? She was a good person. She's supposed to want what's best for Naruto. But that wasn't true.

No matter how good she thought of herself, or even that she was, humans by nature were selfish creatures. And it was time for her to confront that, even if it ended in pain, even if Naruto was hurt by her decisions, a part of her still wanted to try. So the question remained, did she care more about doing what was right, than what she wanted?

"…no…"

Shaking her head, she swallowed as understanding washed over her. She'd been an idiot, so afraid of what _might_ happen that she couldn't even see what _was_ happening now. She wasn't losing Naruto for his own good, she was pushing him away because of her own insecurities, and she didn't have anyone to blame but herself. As usual. Was it really her place to decide what was best for him? Hadn't he already made it plenty clear what _he_ wanted?

Accepting that, she turned her thoughts inwards, peeling away the shroud her mind had cast, the disguise of doing this for him that hid the truth of just how weak and afraid she really was. However, that didn't mean she couldn't change. It wasn't too late. She still had time to talk to Naruto, to fix this, to make things right with him. After their next mission even!

It might hard but, even after dating him for a month and having sex with him for so many days… she never really allowed herself to open up to him. The one and only time she had, he listened to her, considered her thoughts and feelings about her former best friend, and not only offered his thoughts on the matter, he even offered to help!

He might be disappointed. He might decide she isn't worth chasing anymore. But… the more she learned about Naruto, the more she was starting to realize that he wasn't that type of person, which only made her guilt curdle even worse.

Naruto gave her everything, literally everything that he was and had. And that had scared her to the point of giving up when she should have been fighting harder than ever. So… what could she do to make it up to him?

Maybe… dinner? He was always the one who cooked for them when she was over; maybe it would be a nice gesture. And she had been thinking about taking advantage of this big empty house before Ino's stunt… They could talk. She could explain why she freaked out. And maybe afterword's… in her bed this time…just like when they first… made love.

Just thinking about it caused the girl's cheeks to erupt into color. And yet even the water couldn't disguise the smile threatening to split her cheeks.

She felt honestly happy for the first time in a week. Tomorrow she would talk to her squadmate. Tomorrow she would fix things. But today…

Sakura's joy tapered off as she realized how much time she had to get things together. Her parents had left a small envelope of ryo for food while they were gone but she hadn't had enough of an appetite to bother with more than a bowl of cereal for most of her meals. Not to mention cleaning up. The trash had been piling up higher than she liked and her room was a mess of old clothes. Tomorrow needed to be perfect which meant for the rest of today she needed to get busy.

Sitting up in the tub, Sakura was finally in her element setting out plans and working towards a goal. The house could wait until tonight, but the shops would be closing in a few hours. If she wanted to make what she was thinking possible, then she would need to make a few stops. Rather than be put off by this realization, the young woman felt invigorated. A refreshing change to the zombie she'd been. Without another word she stepped out of the bath reaching for a towel to dry the water clinging to her naked body. In a matter of minutes, she threw on an outfit and was out the door towards the market.

Naruto might be disappointed when he found out she wasn't anywhere nearly as perfect as he imagined. But that didn't mean she was going to let herself fall even further from what he believed her to be.

* * *

Meats and vegetables could be seen straining against the plastic bags hanging from each hand. Even still she smiled, feeling accomplished at getting so much done so quickly. She still had to grab a bag of flour from the grain stall, of course. As well as make a quick stop at the local library for a book on homemade noodles, but after a week of shuffling around, she now felt full of energy, ready and raring to go.

Well, kind of.

Hunger clawed at her belly, sharp enough to draw a short groan as she stood in the middle of the road. Her lack of an appetite was coming back with a vengeance and eager to make up for lost time. But she had too much to do to bother whipping anything up herself before leaving to run her errands. Suddenly the idea of dango came to mind, no doubt summoned by the sweet scent suddenly sharpening the twisting knot in her guts. Maybe it was time for a break…

The sun was high in the sky overhead, shining as a constant reminder of summertime in fire country. The crowd around her was just as afflicted by the state, hugging the walls of stalls where small shelves offered cool shadows and shade served to protect them. Sakura joined the small cluster already gathered around a small family owned shop and made her purchase from the same old woman who'd stood behind the counter since she was a little girl. Soon she was able to rest her bags against the ground as she sat on one of the benches outside.

A plate of eight sugary dumplings greeted her, skewered on two sticks covered in a honeyed glaze. In her other hand, she cradled a small glass of delicious, chilled Jasmine tea. The sweat from her errands could be felt dripping down her slender neck, which only made the sensation of the cold drink against her lips that much more refreshing. She licked the remaining drops away with a sigh before carefully biting into the first of her treats.

It was sweet, which Sakura loved. Another childish trait she couldn't seem to lose. But chewing the gummy, squishy food the young woman let this sign of immaturity slip through, reveling in the delight that shone through her grin. Cold tea and dango on a hot afternoon, nothing was better. And soon the pink haired girl was finishing the last of her meal, throwing back the last of her tea with a satisfied sigh.

She didn't get up right away, placing the plate beside her as people of the village continued by on their way and living their lives. She let her meal digest for a bit, taking comfort in the low shadows that staved off the evening heat.

Sakura loved her village. She really did. In moments like these when she was allowed to watch the undeniable life that thrived in the high domed walls and cliff face, it was a reminder of everything the ninja before her generation had strived to protect, and how she would be doing the same as soon as she was strong enough to take up the burden. Enjoying the smiles and laughter filling the air, some of the people even waved in her direction recognizing the iconic pink hair of her father. Having known many of these people all her life, she gladly returned the gesture basking in the peace she'd been unable to enjoy only hours prior.

More friends of her family happened by, and Sakura greeted them accordingly. Yes her parents were out of town. No, she didn't need anything. They _would_ need to get together for dinner one of these days. Yes, she was still a ninja.

Enjoying the same exchanges several times over, a flash of yellow in the otherwise brown and bland mass easily caught her notice. Only for her eyes to widen at the sight of none other than one Ino Yamanaka.

The adults in front of her continued to babble, having no idea their words went completely unheard. Sakura hadn't seen the other girl since she'd dragged her out of Naruto's apartment, although, she had wondered if the blonde had felt any guilt over the fact that she'd effectively ruined someone's relationship. However, watching the young woman's positively beaming grin and sparkling gaze, Sakura was able to sense precisely how much guilt the other girl had been carrying. Her joyful expression dropped.

Idly, she realized the people she'd been talking to make some excuse to leave, and she did her best to return their farewells. But really, her attention remained on the golden ponytail whipping in the breeze.

Her back was facing her, occasionally turning to show off her perfect face and even more perfect figure. She looked like she was talking to someone, but Sakura couldn't see who. Instead, she took advantage of this rare opportunity to reflect on the girl who had once been her best friend.

Well, that didn't quite properly describe how their relationship had been. Sisters seemed more accurate, even if she had been taken the 'younger' role. A somewhat morose smile came to life as she looked back, recalling how her younger self had practically glued herself to the more confident girl, looking up to her in awe; solely for the fact that she never seemed to be afraid of anything.

As opposed to herself who couldn't even make friends without getting bullied for her oversized forehead. She'd grown into it eventually… mostly, but as a child all of her proportions seemed to be exaggerated, that part especially. Old insecurities were hard to put to rest, unfortunately. And even now she couldn't help but style her bangs with added care each morning. And even that had remained from advice given from the other girl.

Hair, clothes, flirting, just about everything that meant being a girl, Ino had to excel at. It's hard not to get a complex when you have that to compare yourself to. She knew that she'd developed a few. And in the end, that, more than anything else, had been what eventually drove them apart.

It was… weird to think she'd been talking about making up with the girl only a week prior. Of course, that had been before Ino had gone and shown just how out of her mind she really was. Still, relationships like that were hard to walk away from completely, and in her heart, she could feel lingering emotions of unresolved… everything.

They would never be friends again. Not after what she did to her. But… maybe after she resolved things with Naruto and they fixed what the blonde had broken… Sakura could approach the girl and let her know that she forgave her. She didn't understand why she would do something so objectively wrong, but so long as she was able to return to her happiness with Naruto nothing else mattered anymore.

The thought made her smile and left her chest warm. It was the right thing to do. The mature thing to do. And they were ninja now, which meant it was time for them to stop acting like children. Soon enough the village was going to be relying on them to take up the responsibility of their teachers and… and…

And whatever line of thought she'd been following was destroyed the moment she watched Ino exit the store she'd been in, followed immediately by Naruto.

Or she could kill her. Yes. That was it. She could kill her and finally free herself from the blonde girl whose life's mission seemed to center around ruining her life. The cup in her hand shattered and she moved to follow through with just that…

* * *

 **And there it is, chapter 7. I hope people enjoyed a bit more naked ninjas, a staple for any reader's diet. If you liked what you saw and want to see more, I would really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. I don't demand it, but everyone I see makes my day a little brighter. Thanks and happy holidays.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: MERRY CHRISMAS! And happy holidays to everyone. Yes, it's the day to spend time with your family, open presents and celebrate the fact that the United States has yet to collapse on itself. But, hey, what else is 2018 for? In all seriousness, its been a crazy time and writing this story has been some of best parts of it. Here's to another year of fanfiction. *raises mug of Coco* now, hurry up and read this smut and get back to your families. I know I need to get to mine.**

 **But first, a special thank you to DragonPony002 who went out of thier way to message me about fanart inspired by this story. its my first fanart and i couldn't be happier. if you want to check it out, it is the new poster of this story. or, you can also go over to his/her deviant art at AnarchyHamster.** **Without any further ado, *bows*.**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Tag(s): make out, groping, light petting, public setting.**

 **Girl(s): Ino**

 **Words: 16,029**

 **Beta: Lordsofembercelica**

* * *

For what must have been the hundredth time Ino checked her reflection, having twisted and turned every way imaginable and then some to make sure everything was perfect. Once she was sure it was, she smoothed the front of her light summer dress once again, running her hands over her flat trim stomach despite already knowing there were no wrinkles to be found.

The simple yet breezy summer dress had cost a month's allowance, but she loved the form-fitting material. It was slightly tight around her chest thanks to being a size too small, but the tradeoff for how it squeezed the sides and bottoms of her breasts together while pushing them up was well worth it, same with the way it hugged the top swell of her hips.

It was pricy, it restricted her breathing just a little, and she would have to be careful when and where she jumped, not to mention the price of her mother's disapproving glance as she'd stepped out the door not even ten minutes ago, but, it was worth it. She'd managed to slip out before the older woman could stop her, thankfully, but knew she'd be getting an earful as soon as she got back home.

Not that she would hear anything new…

"Ino, a young lady doesn't need to wear such clothing."

"Ino, don't you think you should put on a sweater?"

"Ino, please remember that you are a representation of your clan, as heiress how you behave will reflect on the Yamanaka as a whole."

And her personal favorite from last week, "Ino… just… go change, please."

She'd heard it her whole life, but it was becoming more and more frequent with each passing year to the point it was almost impossible to imagine just how different she was from her mother. The kind, albeit traditional woman her daddy had fallen in love with had a preference for kimonos and folded hair, so it was no mystery why her daughter's choice of clothing that was common among older kunoichi would cause her so much distress. It was almost as though she was even more worried about the clan's appearance than her husband, all the while forgetting just what their line of work entailed. Regardless, the young woman had never allowed her mother's fretting to get in the way of how she lived or the choices she made. Life was short after all and she planned to enjoy it to the fullest.

Smirking at her reflection, she allowed her hands to pause at her hips while she admired herself. The tight upper half was a light shade of purple that could almost pass for a dark blue, playing beautifully against her eyes.

While not quite as noticeable as the Hyūga clan, she was well aware of how the eyes of the Yamanaka tended to stand out, so she always made sure to avoid wearing anything that was light colored. It was almost funny, wearing white or any light colored tended to make them seem unusual, while darker colors gave them an unmistakably seductive appearance.

A much darker royal purple cloth belt cinched the waist, further showing off the curves she was so proud of while the thin straps displayed a fair amount of her slender neck and collar. The neckline was modest enough surprisingly, but the thin stretchy material molded to her curves to show clear definition of the rounded mounds budding from her chest. It might have been expensive, but love is war, and in war your weapons were the most crucial factor in deciding victory or defeat.

Waiting for Naruto outside one of her usual clothing stalls; she'd long since memorized his daily path home from the Hokage tower. So far her strategy of 'accidentally' bumping into him hadn't been very successful, but she'd discovered that he locked his windows and she never had paid too much attention when they taught lock picking in the academy. Likewise draping her naked body across his bed to greet him as he entered or when he woke might have been very tempting, but she wasn't quite that desperate.

Not yet anyways.

She admired herself for another few seconds, winking, flashing her smile, checking the tie holding her ponytail, and anything else she could think of practicing for when her second favorite blond happened by, only for something else to catch her attention. Namely, two pairs of eyes quite obviously trained on her inviting attire.

Just standing there, she was more than aware of the passing glances of boys and men alike as they walked by. But that's all they'd been, passing by with most lacking the confidence or position to approach her for one reason or another. She'd ignored them for the most part, more than used to that kind of thing. After all, she dressed and behaved the way she did for a reason, and though she may not have an oversized forehead she was neither stupid nor was she blind. These two, however, appeared particularly taken, and even seemed to be working up the courage to approach her. Ino thought about it for a moment before turning to meet their gaze.

The two young men looked at her from the corner of the road, grinning at each other and no doubt commenting on what they saw amongst themselves. Casting them an idle glance, she could see they were both reasonably attractive, at least enough to usually get away with such overt ogling with favorable results. Both had soft brown hair and figures that would be considered quite muscular for civilians, so it was easy to see why they were confident. Of course, once they saw they had her attention it only fueled their already over-inflated egos. The duo offered the idle young woman a wave and a grin; casting their lures out so to speak in an all too familiar song and dance.

She thought about it before returning the gesture, barely lifting her arm to wiggle her fingers in their direction. Even that small return was enough to garner a reaction, their already bright smiles widening until it threatened to break their dimpled cheeks. One took a step in her direction only for the other to pull his friend back and steal the lead. Soon their attention was on each other and she could see they were about to argue over just who she'd been greeting. When their eyes turned from her to each other, in a blink the ground where the young kunoichi had been standing suddenly became vacant as she quickly slipped into the crowd without leaving so much as a cloud of dust in her wake.

Whatever words they shared between themselves were brief as they decided to cross the busy street and see just which of them the girl preferred. But when they looked back, the young men stood and merely blinked in the middle of the road as they saw she was nowhere to be found. Each could be seen desperately peering over the substantial flow of people all the while Ino watched them from above, a playful smirk belying the devil underneath her heavenly exterior.

That had been fun, but unfortunately for them; it was all Ino wanted from a pair like those two. Attractive enough to be sure, Ino knew a number of guys like that, and if she were being honest she would admit to having enjoyed that kind of attention at one point in her life. In fact, a week ago she might have welcomed it, talking and flirting with both while they fought over who could impress her more. She might have even tried to get a free outfit and meal out of the afternoon. Yet, attractive as they had been, and as enamored with her as they were, she still found a distinct lack of interest dulling whatever thrill might have existed before.

Curious, but not something she was overly interested in exploring.

To put it simply, they were boring. Their interest in her was shallow, and while it was appreciated Ino already _knew_ she was beautiful. Nowadays, she had attention of a more substantial sort in mind, one that saw more than just her breasts, hips or clan.

Finding a new corner further down the same street, Ino came to a stop, her eyes scanning the crowd for the familiar bright colors she'd come to appreciate. Okay, well, no, she still hated how he dressed both personally and as a shinobi, but at least that damned jumpsuit made it easy to pick him out of a crowd, and that _was_ something she cared about. Unfortunately, her search yielded no results, forcing her to sigh as she waited for him.

She could still remember it; how it felt being held in his arms, the warmth that spread throughout her body just from the look in his eyes. Not from sexual pleasure, although there had been plenty of that too, but rather it was the caring nurturing intimacy that rendered guys like the ones she'd just blown off as hardly more than a blip on her radar now.

Ino's eyes slightly glazed over and a hot blush bloomed beneath her cheeks as she again gazed into the crowd. Her arms instinctively reached up to hug herself in a pale imitation of Naruto's firm grip. A wide smile managed to stretch its way across her face, creating the image of a young woman who'd found the height of joy and happiness.

 _That_ was what she wanted, _that_ was what she was looking for. Someone who looked at her like Naruto did towards Sakura, like he would look at her as soon as she managed to steal his attention and affections. Guys who only looked at her body and who only cared about her beauty were a dime a dozen, she would know considering she'd been dealing with them since puberty struck. Compare that to Naruto, who seemed intent on actively ignoring her figure despite her best attempts, and it was clear her future boyfriend was a whole different tier of man. She was still smiling as a fluttering sigh passed through her lips.

Of course, that's not to say he wasn't interested _entirely_. If that were the case the blonde had some bad news for Sakura. Oh no, she was sure he could see what she was offering and was as tempted as any other male would have been in his shoes. What set him apart was he didn't let that control him or influence his decisions. He didn't allow her apparent beauty to distract him from his feelings for her rival. Staying true to his heart, he only took the occasional appreciative peek when he thought she wasn't looking or wouldn't notice.

Could he be any more adorable?!

She didn't let his rejection of her for Sakura discourage her, however. In fact, it made her want him all the more because it showed just how loyal he was to those he loved. That, and it would make the day _she_ became the person in his heart that much more sweet because of it.

It was funny thinking about it, how she would pass up on boys and men who would worship her while chasing after those like Sasuke and Naruto who ignored her or rejected her. If she didn't know any better she would have thought she was the kind of girl who wanted what she couldn't have.

Which obviously was not true! How could it be when something like that simply didn't exist?

Far from stupid, Ino was a straightforward girl who rarely allowed complications to impact her life. If she wanted something, she worked to get it. If she was unhappy, she did whatever she could to rectify the problem. And if she liked a boy, she went after him, his own feelings or relationship status be damned! Unlike Naruto, she wholeheartedly embraced the emotions she had discovered that day and allowed the warm glow in her chest that was summoned just by the thought of the older blond to suffuse her entire being with a light and fluffy sensation.

He made her happy, as well as annoyed and exasperated but _mostly_ happy. The tender emotions she'd experienced for the first time in his arms that night hadn't lessened in the least. In fact, they might have even grown in the contrast of how….cold she felt in his absence. She knew what it was like to be loved now, and much like Naruto, returning to her old life after understanding what she had been missing was a prospect she would neither allow nor entertain.

She was beautiful, funny, and had both the fashion sense and clan backing to attract any young man with so much as a hint of interest in the opposite sex. Throw in graduating with one of the highest marks in history for the seduction course in the academy and she considered it only a matter of time before the poor boy gave in. She was going to make him forget the name Sakura Haruno had ever existed.

And that was a promise.

A slow smirk quickly overtook the discouraged expression from her cheeks with newfound determination taking root. And as if summoned by her willpower alone, the girl's daydreaming daze was finally cut short as the rare sight of spiky blond hair bobbing up and down in the crowd below was caught out of the corner of her eye.

Snapping to attention, her eyes hardened and a smirk stretched as though she were about to set off on a mission. For what else could she call this than the mission of her very life?

She started and matched his direction and pace, allowing her steps to fall casually as her face settled into a carefree grin. Humming to herself, she made sure to keep her eyes open for his brightly colored attire, catching glimpses of his shorter frame over the heads of children and between shoulders of adults shuffling by. Mentally counting each step, her timing landed with eerie perfection as she managed to 'accidentally' trip, only to find her shoulder landing against another's solid frame. She opened her eyes after swooning dramatically, her expression the picture of innocence as she smiled up at the shocked expression of one Uzumaki Naruto.

He reacted on instinct; large hands outstretched to settle behind her lower back and shoulders to stop her from hitting the ground. Her own arms had swung wide as soon as her center of gravity shifted, allowing her to 'catch herself' against his shoulders, and then quickly adjusted to palm the thick cords of his neck. Settling against his chest, her own jutted forward against him for maximum effect. It wasn't the most graceful tumble, and she could already feel the odd glances and knowing smirks of those watching her little show, but the only reaction she cared about was Naruto's.

"Clumsy me!" she gasped in mock horror, staring up at his wide-eyed surprise. "I'm so sorry about that. But thank goodness you were there to catch me in my time of need!" Despite her apology, the young woman made no move to peel herself from his person. In fact, she pulled him even closer, using her leverage on his neck until she was back on her feet. Her eyelashes fluttered in a blatant display as they stood face to face while Naruto finally managed to collect himself enough to realize what had happened.

 _"If he thinks he can push me away this time he has another thing coming,"_ Ino internally smirked, her fingers interlocked behind his neck just to be sure while one finger playfully toyed with a lock of blond hair above his nape. Waiting for him to distance himself as he always did, the young woman was surprised to find him making no such gesture.

To her disappointment he didn't hold her closer either, but still it was something. Instead, his hands naturally fell from her back to her hips, a fact that allowed her bursting smile to shift naturally as she gazed at him in surprised delight.

Naruto's attention was a bit more muted than it had been previously, she noted. He still appeared nervous and anxious, but his expression turned towards something Ino had never seen before in her direction.

Curiosity.

Through squinted eyes, he returned her gaze almost as though he was trying to figure something out or make sense of some riddle he'd just been told. The sudden appraisal was enough to send her heart fluttering and yet she did nothing to stop or dissuade him. If he wanted to look at her, she was _more_ than happy to let him.

"You… 're kind of weird, huh?" he asked. Though he'd already made that observation back in the academy, this was the first time he had ever voiced it. Not expecting that to come about from his impromptu inspection, Ino faulted for a moment but rebounded with shocking swiftness by letting a delighted giggle chime from her lips.

"I suppose that's one way to compliment a lady," she winked, brushing off the questionable comment and pushing this unexpected opportunity forward. "Although, for future reference you should know that beautiful, incredible, and jaw-droppingly arousing also work." She'd tried to come off as playful and suggestive, but Naruto's face just tilted to the side questioningly.

A slow drop of sweat started on her brow.

"Why do you keep doing this every day?" he asked bluntly. "Like, you know I know that wasn't really an accident, right? I just…don't get you." Blinking, Ino silently realized this was the most he'd voluntarily spoken to her in the entire week that she'd been chasing him. So, rather than being put off by his dull inquires, she was only too happy to answer, her smile returning as she went through the obvious explanation.

"It's for our story!" she chirped, purposefully oblivious to the vacant stare her response was given. She continued to smile through three slow blinks before sighing like the answer would have been obvious to anyone else. "Our _story_ …?" she repeated, "as in, how we got together? I mean, duh, years from now people are going to ask how we fell madly in love, and what makes for a better love story than two random souls colliding in this wide open world, only to feel their hearts connect in a wild explosion of passion!?" Her nostrils flared with emotion as she held up a righteous fist. "It's a fated encounter, the ultimate proof of true love! All the best romance novels start that way."

Meanwhile, Naruto just stared at her, silently wondering if it was too late to back out of this and how he could get away if it wasn't. "Random… fate?" he tried to sound her reason out as though it would suddenly make sense if he did. After a few seconds, he continued, "I don't think that makes sense." Ino's response was fast and sharp as a thrown kunai.

"It doesn't need to make sense, it's romantic!" Naruto would just need to take her word for it.

Ino's glare simmered into a frown as she regarded the boy in front of her. Usually by this point he was either trying to get by her, or just ignoring her completely. She supposed in light of his current amicable behavior she could forgive his complete lack of romantic taste, for now at least. Instead, she decided to find out just what had gotten him into such a receptive mood.

"You're unusually talkative today," she noted before her smile slowly evolved into a smirk as she gestured towards herself in a flaunting motion. "Let me guess, you've finally given up resisting my charms and are here to take me on the date of my dreams," she titillated with a playful wink.

She was giving it her all, though trying to not be too forward or pushy given his previous rejections. In her years of chasing after Sasuke she had learned never to try the same approach twice. She was nothing if not adaptive to the situation. That being said, she was readying her pout for when he turned her down. Instead, Naruto's nervous expression returned, earning a wide-eyed backtrack from the blonde girl.

"Wait, for real?!" her playful tone screeched to a halt. _"Yes! The dress was soooo worth it!"_ she internally squealed for joy! "I-I mean, of course you've given in! No one can resist Ino Yamanaka," she pounced on the opening with a quick laugh that only slightly missed the mark.

Oh god, why was she so nervous all of the sudden? If Naruto noticed the shift in her behavior, he was better at hiding his feelings than she was, dealing with his own uncomfortable blush. She didn't even notice as the hand she had previously held up in a fist was now twirling the end of her long ponytail. For most girls it was a way to tease and flirt, but for her it had always been a nervous tic, one she had worked hard to break since she was little.

"I just think, you know, maybe it wouldn't hurt to get to know you a little better?" He shuffled his feet and didn't look her in the eye as he continued. "All I really know about you is that used to be friends with Sakura-chan and that you're kinda of crazy…" A tick formed on the girl's forehead at that comment, although she did her best to suppress the urge to lash out at him. She _did_ have to take how he'd met her into account after all…and even she had to admit that day had quickly spiraled out of her control. Still, that just meant she needed to show him the real, perfectly reasonable and mentally sound young woman everyone knew her to be.

Somewhere in the village, a lazy young man shivered, feeling an ominous shift in the breeze.

"Then that just means you don't know me at all," she refuted and bit her tongue to stop herself from calling him 'Naruto-kun' recalling how he reacted whenever she had in the past week. Her grip shifted from his neck, releasing him just long enough for her figure to move to his side in favor of facing him. A change Naruto appreciated if the sudden relaxation in his posture was anything to go by. Playing cautiously by his reactions and pulling everything she had learned and observed about him so far together, she took a moment to glance him over from the corner of her vision.

His face still belied a hint of unease as he looked in her direction, but he didn't look ready to bolt. Seduction was a technique in of itself, same as assassination; it just had a different method system. She had spent plenty of time studying and observing her target, and she had finally just managed to get him to let her in under his guard. Now came the most difficult and important step, using the opportunity to instill desire. She had no doubts in her mind or heart that he was the one she loved, she just needed him to realize the same thing. So, while Ino remained the perfect picture of a blissful young woman sliding her cheek against his shoulder, another delightful laugh filled the air as her grip bared down.

"So, what did you have in mind?" she asked. In answer, Naruto just stared at her, slowly realizing that he hadn't actually thought this far ahead.

A fraction of Ino's excitement disappeared and was replaced by disappointment, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She was the one chasing him after all, and she had gone into this expecting to do most of the work. Besides, there were certain advantages to this she could work into her favor.

"You said you wanted to learn more about me, right?" she asked, making sure none of her earlier disappointment showed. Naruto slowly nodded his head, one eyebrow raised cautiously. "Then how about you let me pick where we go first? It's a little late for lunch, but it shouldn't be too long before we can go somewhere for dinner. We could just wonder around, maybe look at some stores. I have a few in mind that might be interesting?" she offered, looking up at him with a small innocent smile.

There was something… conspiratorial in that comment, but Naruto didn't exactly have anything better to offer. He nodded his head while still trying not to focus on the sensation of her breast against his arm. Although… he would be lying if he tried to say they weren't nice. The arm wrapped in Ino's slowly relaxed only to be yanked forward as she pulled him into the flow of people walking towards the village's center.

"Great! I have just the thing in mind," she said quickly before he could change his mind. A boy that was willing to go shopping with her? Um, yes, please! She let her eyes glance towards his bright orange jacket one more time with a narrowed glare of hate.

Although Naruto didn't even notice, completely oblivious in his naturally trusting nature.

* * *

He regretted everything.

"Give it."

"No!"

"Giiive it."

"Never!"

"God damn it, Naruto! Just give me your freaking jacket already!"

A clothing story. **That** was where she'd thought it would be a good idea to bring them. Of all places, why did it have to be clothes shopping? Why did it have to be this? Currently he was backed up against a wall of shopping bags, corned after being literally chased around the small showroom floor. Ino approached him like she would a skittish animal, hands outstretched and each step measuring the tight coil of his muscles prepared to take flight. The only thing more terrifying was the veritable mountain of clothes she had put together in the few minute's he'd been unaware of her plot.

"Why!?" he demanded, skittering back and forth along the wall while looking for any kind of gap in the girl's defense to escape. There wasn't one. "What's wrong with my jacket?! I don't need new clothes!" Ino didn't bother suppressing a sharp scoff.

"Seriously?" she demanded, pausing for a moment to rest her hands on her hips. Well, if he insisted.

"Naruto, that… _thing_ you call a jacket should have been thrown out three years ago! Just look at it!" He did, but only managed to see what he always saw. A really awesome jacket!

Seeing that he'd completely missed her point, Ino continued, "You know what? Fine. If you really can't see it…" she proceeded to use the opening to swallow the final distance between them, grabbing the struggling young man with surprising strength before using one of the techniques she had hoped to save for a more…private occasion to quickly and effortlessly remove the old jacket in a matter of seconds, literally pinning the boy in place with one foot while holding it above her head and out of his reach.

With her free hand, she held out one of its tattered sleeves for all the world to see. "Just _look_ at this thing!" she demanded. Naruto's outstretched arms and cries calmed as he did just that, glaring the entire time. "Naruto, seriously, and I mean this, _seriously_ , how many times have you had to sew this thing up?" she merely gestured to a long line of amateur patch jobs and tears fixed with mismatched thread and what she suspected to be dental floss.

Looking up at her, he sat on the floor with his arms crossed like a petulant child.

"So what?" he demanded, eyes squinting in defiance. "Doesn't mean it's not a great jacket!" Even if it was more patch than original fabric at this point.

She rolled her eyes.

"And the smell?" she challenged. Naruto might not have been the cleanest young man until recently but he still knew better than to go too long without doing the laundry. The problem was, soak fabric in body odor and sweat for long enough and it will start to reek no matter how many times it went through the machine. Ino had to force back a gag just from holding it, sweat and mold all mixed into one wafting against her delicate senses.

"The smell of hard work and determination, you mean!" he corrected. He'd worn that jacket almost his entire life! He'd trained in that jacket! Bleed in that jacket! And now this girl just wanted him to throw it away because it might have turned a little sour?

Almost as though she could hear his every thought, Ino's patience began running lower by the minute.

"Fine! If that's the way you want it, how about the fact that your clothes hardly even fit anymore!" Her finger jutted out dramatically, the tip aimed towards the exposed skin of his ankles and lower shins. This time it was his turn to flinch back, immediately moving to yank the legs of his pants to cover the gap.

She… wasn't wrong. When he'd first gotten his familiar orange outfit it had been laughably large on his ten year old self. But… that had been five years ago. And he'd grown quite a bit since then. Even if he'd learned how to patch holes and tears he couldn't exactly make it bigger than it already was. The older he got, the more of his arms and legs would stick out the ends. The fact that he would need to discard the beloved outfit at some point was obvious, but, maybe that was why he was fighting his date so hard on this matter. Maybe… he'd just hoped to put it off a little bit longer.

"I-I can still manage another month!" he swore, but even as he said that all he had to do was look down and let go of the fabric he'd been trying to stretch. It naturally popped back into place, only proving the blonde's point even more. Rather than answer, Ino just needed to wait for him to realize the truth, eventually letting his head fall to his chest. She clapped her hands with a bright grin at seeing his surrender.

"Well that settles it! Leave it to me, there's no one with a better sense of fashion in the entire village. You already have a great foundation; tan complexion, blond hair, not to mention a great frame," she lingered on that last bit, giggling, "all we need is to find the right way to accent and compliment what you already have. Leave it to me and you'll be more handsome than even Sasuke!" That, at least, got his attention.

He didn't jump up, and he didn't smile. He did, however, allow his head to lift and glance towards the knowing grin set against Ino's elvish features. His eyes narrowed grudgingly. "Better than Sasuke?" he repeated. Ino's grin only widened before she nodded her head quickly.

"Way more," her honey sweet voice promised. "Way, _way_ more." Naruto's expression flinched.

"And… and, it'll still be orange!?" He moved to stand up, getting deliciously close to the girl pinned under his gaze.

"Ummm," she paused, suddenly avoiding his blue eyes. "I suppose it won't hurt for one outfit to have some orange."

Naruto's expression shifted at the drop of a hat.

"What's wrong with orange!? Orange is an awesome color!"

Now meeting his gaze, though indirectly she motioned with one hand towards his jacket, then to his pants. "In moderation, sure, but too much of any color ruins an outfit, especially when it's that…bright," she offered, catching herself before saying anything otherwise insulting. Having just made some ground with him she didn't want to throw it away.

"B-but what about you! Everything you wear is purple!" In his mind the argument was valid, especially since in the last week he had seen her in nearly a dozen different outfits, ranging from sensual to scandalous, but the one thing they all had in common was coming in some shade of purple.

Ino waved his argument off with a shrug. "Well obviously purple is the best color, so that doesn't count. Besides, I told you, you can still have one that has…some orange, so don't worry about it."

"Huh?" he blinked. "Why would anyone need more than one outfit?" He might as well have just stabbed her in the back right then and there. "Um, are you okay?" he felt the need to ask, seeing Ino's stricken expression. She simply shook her head, wiping away a mock tear as she held a hand above her breast.

"I have so much to teach you," was her ominous reply. This time it was Naruto's turn to be afraid, so in true Naruto fashion he dealt with it the way he always did.

By digging himself an even deeper grave.

"But, why? You wear the same clothes every day."

"I do not!" were it not for the sincere expression on his face she would have decked him where he stood for such an insult. She worked hard, and spent a lot of time putting her outfits together, and had done so for years. Which is why not a moment after her bitter retort she found herself so thoroughly confused, at least until he opened his mouth again.

"Yeah you do! You've been wearing the same thing since the last year of the academy!" He might not have paid much attention to her, but even back then he hadn't entirely ignored her all the time…Sakura did miss a few days here and there when she was sick after all.

Running his words over and over looking for something, anything other than what was beyond painfully obvious, she finally gave up when she realized that yes, Naruto, the man she loved, was indeed that stupid.

"...the same OUTFIT you idiot, not the same CLOTHES! I have five matching pairs of that top and skirt!"

"Wait, what?" Naruto's mind came to an abrupt halt as he processed what she had just said. He could understand having half a dozen pair of underwear, and undershirts were actually pretty useful for a lot of things, but… "Why would you waste money buying the same clothes?"

An image of Ino painted on a mirror shattered at hearing such a question.

"BECAUSE I LIKE THAT OUTFIT! There's nothing wrong with having a style or outfit you prefer or stick to, but that doesn't mean you only have ONE of it! Do you seriously think Sasuke wears the same blue shirt and white shorts every day!?"

It was inconceivable, impossible to understand from her standpoint, how someone could actually believe that anyone _literally_ wore the same thing day in and day out. Jackets and coats were something of an exception true, but Naruto had several pairs of the same horrid orange pants that he picked up from some bargain bin sale…at least she _hoped_ he got them from a bargain bin and didn't pay full price.

True to her word, Ino took advantage of Naruto's brief lapse in will, and immediately moved to hand him one of the hundred or so outfits she'd picked out, and then pointed him in the direction of a changing room.

He went inside grumbling the entire way. Just as he went back grumbling after he came out and she gave him another outfit to try on, and another, and another.

It wasn't long before he found himself falling into a cycle of stripping, putting on whatever Ino had picked out for him then walking out to be judged like some kind of show dog. Sometimes it would be met with approval, usually in the form of some over the top swoon, others he barely made it outside the stall before he was met with a stark frown and thumbs down from his date. Regardless of the outcome, he always found a new set placed in his arms before being given a firm shove to his back as he was forced back into the cramped cubical.

A tired sigh fell from Naruto's lips after what must have been the thousandth set of shirt and pants Ino had forced him to try on. Though tiny, even compared to his apartment, it did have a full length mirror set against the side wall where he looked at himself to try and see what the big deal was.

He currently found himself in a getup distantly lacking his favorite color. Although, as far as something without orange went he supposed it was alright. The simple shirt that cost way more than clothes had any right to. Dark blue and made from material that was thinner than his tee-shirts, hugging his chest and shoulders in way that made him want to itch, the entire thing lacked the usual comfort of his loose and worn outfit. The collar bothered him especially, dipping down in a V rather than the normal semicircle, allowing glimpses of his collarbone and muscled pecs.

The pants were much looser, thankfully, although he couldn't help but feel they hugged his ass something awful. He would have sworn they were a size too small, if not for the perfect length and easier fit of the legs than what he normally wore. He wasn't too fond of the button down pockets in place of the zippers and snaps his old pants had, though he did appreciate the belt loops stitched directly into the legs at the thigh and knee. Considering the fact he currently had to wad bandages between his leg and pouch to keep it in place, it was an improvement.

Still, trying to keep track of what Ino actually liked or not was beyond him by this point, so the blond just shrugged at his reflection before turning to face the next round of Ino's gauntlet. At least until when he opened the door and saw her standing there… holding a dress.

Okay, it _might_ be time to draw the line now.

"Ino if you try and put me in that, I think I'm just gonna call it a day." Looking up from the flowery, flowing garb Ino just blinked before amusedly rolling her eyes.

"Ha-ha," was her sarcastic response before throwing the dress on a nearby bench. Naruto was taken aback seeing that she'd changed while he was inside.

The new dress wasn't that much different from what she had been wearing, except that the color, which was white and the collar looped up in a more conservative neck line. Against her pupiless blue eyes and blonde hair it had a pure effect that was almost enough to make Naruto forget about the girl underneath. Then, she told him the best thing he'd heard all day.

"You can relax now," she waved a pitying gesture in his direction, adding "no more clothes." She held up another dress against her body, grinning as though it were Christmas morning. "Well, for you at least." The obnoxious gasp of relief that followed was enough to earn him a dirty look from his date, though Ino just sighed at the over the top display instead.

And people called _her_ dramatic.

"Here you go, just as promised" Naruto's excitement paused intermittently as something brightly colored was thrown in his direction. Catching it midair, he held up another shirt by its collar, only to cheer at seeing a shirt colored almost entirely in bright orange. Ino put on a regretful expression as soon as she watched him put it on. "Let no one say I'm not a woman of my word." But Naruto wasn't even listening.

This new shirt was short sleeved with a line of black buttons running down the center. Shoving his arms through, he left the front open to show the darker shirt underneath. That simple addition appeared to make all the difference as the young man turned and fluffed the flaps for effect. Ino couldn't help but smile at the obvious joy. Hopefully he would enjoy this next part just as much.

"See?" she offered, smiling as she moved in close to smooth the wrinkles along his shoulder and chest. "I told you I do good work." And boy did she, even with that god awful over shirt he still managed to cut an impressive figure. Just goes to show what can happen when you toss aside shapeless, undersized garbage. Naruto just laughed trying to imagine everyone's faces when he was the coolest guy in the room while Ino's eyes twinkled at seeing him turn for a moment, revealing the dark purple Konohagakure insignia emblazoned across the back.

Oblivious to the world around him, he didn't even notice when the girl led him to the bench she'd been sitting on to watch his little runway show. Not until he was being pushed down and felt his butt against the cushion. Looking up, his eyes squinted in confusion to which Ino just giggled in delight.

"Like I said, no more clothes for _you_ , it's my turn model while you get to pick some outfits for _me_ ," she winked. He then had to watch as she grabbed two armfuls of various skirts, tops and dresses with practiced ease. Naruto could only blink at the staggering piles she had taken and wonder if his stack had been nearly so large. That's when her words hit him, and exactly what was about to happen dawned on him. He held up a hand and rose part way to try and stop her.

"W-wait! Ah, um," he scratched at his whiskered cheek awkwardly. "I don't really know how much help I can be since you already pointed out we don't exactly have the same taste." He made a point of frowning down at what he was currently wearing but Ino just sighed and looked at him as though she were speaking to a very small child.

"Naruto, you don't need to worry too much about this. I already know how to look good; so your job is going to be easy! Just make sure whenever I walk out that door you say I'm even more beautiful than the last time. See what I mean? You don't have to worry about lying or trying to figure anything out." Leaving a disbelieving Naruto behind, Ino couldn't stop herself from giggling as she disappeared behind the door, even taking an extra minute to look through the crack and wink before closing the door completely. After her display, Naruto could only shake his head and wonder if there really was such a thing as _too much_ confidence, because if there was, he was pretty sure he was on a date with it.

From where he sat waiting outside he could hear the faint sound of someone undressing, although he tried not to dwell on the subject for long. The sound of clothes hitting the floor shouldn't have been so exciting, but there was something about knowing it was a girl on the other side of the door that made teenage boy's imaginations run wild. Knowing it was _Ino_ only made it even more so. Tapping his foot, he could feel his cheeks warm despite his best attempts.

What followed ended up being… surprisingly, pleasantly...boring. Ino emerged after a few minutes wearing a dark purple halter top with black shorts. It wasn't that the clothes didn't look good on her, far from it in fact. The material was tight enough to show the more than generous swell of her breasts without being so tight that it would have caused trouble. Coming down to just above her naval it showed off her lean figure without showing off too much skin. Even the shorts were tame compared to anything he had seen her in for the last week. All in all her outfit wouldn't have looked out of place or raised eyebrows...well, at least not any more than her normal outfit did.

Just when he was about to speak, she winked and turned, then looked at him from over her shoulder with a wide grin, causing Naruto's face to turn two shades pinker.

From the front it seemed innocent enough, but from the back it was another story entirely. He could see the strips of cloth tied around her neck holding up the top of the top, and wider strips of cloth tied at mid back covering her bra strap...but...that was it. Her back was almost entirely bare, as were a good portion of her sides right below her bust. By the time he found the strength to speak again she was already gone, the door closed behind her with only a melodious giggle and red faced teenage boy in her wake.

It turned out that aside from having switched sides, it was exactly the same as when it had been his turn, only with her coming out wearing a different outfit each time, going through the motions of turning, posing and winking for maximum effect. Some of the outfits were more revealing than others but that really wasn't the point Naruto found, as she hadn't stepped out wearing anything worse than what she'd put on for their 'chance encounters'.

That's not to say he didn't enjoy the more intense moments, even if he did have to put up with Ino's knowing smirks each time she stepped out in something less than modest. The reason being, he quickly discovered the clothes themselves didn't really make that much of an impact. No, what made those instances so intense and so flustering for the poor young man was the girl herself.

Ino… was nice to look at, even if it felt a little strange to say that. She didn't just have good looks though; there was this pleasant energy about her that had a life of its own, and that energy was what he found himself drawn to and affected by most. He could have said that it didn't matter what she was wearing when she came out, but it…did in a certain sense. Rather than the clothes making her look good, it was she who made the clothes look good on her, and what was so amazing was how this energy she possessed was shaped and changed by whatever she was wearing. Like a stage actor wearing a mask, she became whatever she wore.

When she came skipping out in a simple sundress it took the form of an innocent child, and then when she came out wearing something tight and revealing it would take on the form of a seductive temptress. From one extreme to the other and everything in between, whenever the changing room door opened it was like seeing…well…her.

Be it sashaying out wearing something that very nearly showed off her thighs, or calmly striding her way towards him in something you would expect some civilian to be wearing it always looked natural, normal, and perfectly Ino.

Maybe what made it so great was that she enjoyed being looked at even more than Naruto enjoyed looking at her? It was like she was born to be the center of attention, and flourished whenever a pair of eyes was trained on her person. From Naruto especially, finally capturing the boy who'd been avoiding her for a week and seeing him so captured by her beauty, it only encouraged her to do more. To jut out her chest and lean for a better angle, to inch the hem of her skirt just a bit higher, or just to linger a little bit longer before walking back into the changing room. It was less shopping and more like she was giving him a private modeling experience with enough perks to keep him hungry for more.

It's not like he hadn't known she was pretty, but this was the first time Naruto allowed himself to enjoy what she was offering even if it did seem a little shallow. Almost as to correct this moment of indulgence, Naruto used these little moments as a chance to reflect on what he thought of the girl who was in love with him so far.

While she flitted in and out of the changing room, Naruto's attention turned inwards, contemplating what he'd learned about her so far. Albeit, they weren't very far into their date but Ino's personality was one that didn't seem to hold back or hide things.

And that, honestly, in of itself was something to consider.

She was bossy, rude, and made him give up his jacket for an itchy clingy V-neck. But… he never felt like he needed to figure out what she was thinking or how she felt about something. And that was actually kind of… nice. Ino spoke her mind and for better or for worse he hadn't found himself second guessing everything in her presence like he had with Sakura. He wasn't more comfortable around the blonde, but so far it was definitely easier to be around her than his long time crush. If only because he didn't feel like he had to constantly worry about being… enough, or worthy, or more than himself.

Even if shopping wasn't exactly his idea of a good time, he couldn't say he wasn't enjoying himself at least a little bit. Not the shopping part of course, but it was nice to be around someone who actually _wanted_ to be around him. Even his friends in the academy only ever seemed to put up with him, more often than not ignoring him until he did something to catch their attention. Suffice to say, even if he grumbled and complained, today was already going better than he'd expected. And that, more than anything else, had him feeling conflicted. Unfortunately, before he could continue that line of thought, Ino's cheerful voice called out him from over the divider.

The blond looked up, waiting for her to appear from the door. However, instead of seeing her step out in a new outfit, her face peeked out from the crack, a deceivingly innocent smile playing against the naughty gleam in her eyes. "Naruto-kun?" she asked, in that same bubbly tone that Naruto was beginning to understand only meant trouble. It was also the first time she had used the 'kun' honorific today though he didn't notice. "I'm having some trouble reaching the zipper on this dress; could you give me a hand, please?" Rather than wait for his reply, she ducked back inside leaving the door cracked and a now very cautious young man to stare after her.

Naruto eyed the opening suspiciously, as would anyone with half a brain in this situation. He wanted to say Ino wasn't the type to openly invite him in a public changing room, but so far it seemed like she was fine with whatever so long as it was what she wanted. Unsure what the correct response was to this, he found himself standing nevertheless, cautiously glancing around the near empty store before stepping towards his date.

He pressed his fingers against the door allowing the hard plastic to swing open. Immediately, his vision was filled with the image of a mostly dressed Ino, though, he couldn't see any kind of zipper to speak of. She waited for him, her back facing the door while a sly expression peeked over her shoulder.

"Um, hurry?" she told him, exceedingly less excited about anyone _else_ catching a peek inside the changing room. "And close the door, if you don't mind? I really want to get your opinion on this before I decide to buy it." Naruto did just that, more robotically than consciously, only to realize how little room there was inside the snug cubical.

He also rather quickly realized why she had been in such a hurry.

She wasn't looking at him, instead staring at her reflection in the mirror. Turning one way and then the other, the 'dress' she had been talking about turned out to be a long white tee-shirt three sizes too large that dominated her slight frame. Other than the fact that it seemed a little plain compared to her usual attire, what really drew his eye was that underneath her legs and thighs were completely bare.

His eyes stared, unable to look away he could see the strong yet lithe muscles filling out the lines of her calves and thighs. She was still wearing underwear; thank god, but the fact that he could see the forest green panties peeking out from under her shirt was already something to blink at. Maybe on purpose, Ino had let the back of the shirt rest over the swell of her rear so that the tight curve of her backside was on full display. Before he knew it, he'd forced his eyes up and away from the arousing spectacle.

Glancing at him through the reflection a bright smile threatened to split her cheeks while her eyes twinkled in mirth. Playing with the hem of the shirt, she looked proud of herself, though it wasn't until his attention was drawn to the front of the shirt that he realized what she'd done, or the fact that the shirt she was wearing was _his_.

She turned to face him.

"So what do you think?" Twisting back and forth, the short hem fanned out and up flashing even more of her underwear for his viewing pleasure. He couldn't help but look, despite knowing better, noticing that they were not only framed in lace but also quite frilly. They were an especially cute pair of panties picked out for just such an occasion. And judging by his wide eyes, they had done their job.

"My… shirt?" Naruto managed to croak out while feeling his cheeks warm up. He couldn't help but think back to the time Sakura had done the same thing in his apartment some weeks ago. It had been sexy then and it was sexy now. Some small part of him wondered what it was about the sight that was so alluring, but there was no denying its power. Ino smirked, adding to the effect.

"And not much else" she agreed with a knowing grin. Her fingers pinched the bottom of the shirt and pulled it taut against her torso. As a result, Naruto could see a tiny pair of bumps standing out from the otherwise smooth material covering her perky breasts. Following her sidewise glance, Naruto's eyes found a discarded bra lying in the corner of the room that just so happened to be the exact same shade of green as the panties she had flashed. "So, what do you think?" she asked, drawing his attention back to her figure. She offered him another quick twirl, too graceful for her own good as she spun on the balls of her bare feet.

Naruto felt his cheeks blush and a sweat start under his skin. Squinting against the sudden embarrassment, he was thrown through a loop by this unexpected turn. His relationship with Sakura always had him being the forward one, and his efforts were almost always met with blushing, stammering indifference. Now that he was on the other foot, he found himself responding oddly the same way she always had.

"You're even more beautiful than last time?" he tried, a line a sweat starting on his forehead. His efforts were met with a blinding smile as something close to pride flashed across her cheeks.

"Good boy" she purred, and then before he could blink she continued, "now let's see about your reward, hmm?" her hands reached for the shirt, and started lifting it over her hips.

A flash of toned, pale skin appeared as her bellybutton peeked out from under the shirt, followed by her tummy. Higher and higher, inch by inch, time seemingly slowed down as more and more of her bare skin bled into view. Just as the bottom of her ribcage was revealed Naruto found himself moving, grabbing her hands before they could rise any further.

Throughout the teasing ordeal, Ino's face had been the picture of seduction. Eyes half lidded, a ghost of a smile teasing the corners of her parted lips where gentle breaths forced her chest even closer to the object of her affection. Desire burned in her eyes, not for the physical, but the desire _to be desired_ , which Naruto's dumbfounded, slack jawed expression more than fed. He wanted her, she could see how much he wanted her, and that more than anything sent her pulse skyrocketing. But in an instant the building warmth had been shattered as she found her hands pinned against the wall behind her.

Her eyes were wide yet slightly annoyed. Naruto's expression on the other hand, which had just been devouring her was now turned away. A mixture of shame and embarrassment burned against his cheeks while snuffing out the lustful enjoyment that had been smoldering in his eyes.

He had been happy, she had been even happier. So why did he have to ruin a perfectly good moment? Breathing a slow controlled sigh, her lips parted, "why did you make me stop?" her tone belied the irritation burning in the pit of her stomach, keeping its sugary sweet texture through sheer skill and practiced precision. Even her expression still appeared pleasant if you didn't look too close. But glancing back, Naruto could see the edge underneath the forced calmness. "Is something wrong?" he wasn't sure.

Naruto blinked at her even tone, knowing that sometimes it was when they were calm that women were the most dangerous. He moved slowly, releasing her hands and moving back. This seemed to help, if only a bit, as her eerie expression relaxed into open suspicion. She refrained from moving towards the shirt, thankfully, settling for crossing her arms over her chest instead.

He shrank back, confusion itching at his thoughts. When the moment had come, even when he knew he wanted her to continue, guilt had flooded through him in a single wave of leaded weight. He'd moved without thinking, just like he'd done every time the blonde tried to entice him since last week.

Why had he stopped her? What did he feel guilty for? He couldn't think of a single reason why he _wouldn't_ want to see what she was going to show him. It was okay, this was a date, and these were the things people did on dates… probably?

But no matter how much he tried to reinforce this line of thought he couldn't run away from the reality nipping at his heels. He felt guilty because of Sakura, and something about the way Ino frowned at him made clear she knew it too.

"I… I guess I'm just not sure if I'm ready for so much so soon," he admitted with no small amount of guilt. Rather than berate him, Ino's expression softened, if only to show a bit of pain at the rebuff.

"You won't ever get over her unless you let yourself," she told him in return. Taking advantage of their cramped conditions she took a step closer so that she was near enough to feel his soft exhale break across her forehead. "You like me, or, at least, I can see that you want me. So, Naruto-kun…it doesn't…have to be anything big, but you can do whatever you want with me. Just… show me _something_. Show me that you at least _want_ to try and see if we can get along as well as you did with…" she didn't say her name, but she didn't have to. "I know I can't just expect you to jump into something like that with me, but, can you just…give me something? Anything at all?"

It was just a hint of something more, but looking at her pinched lips and worried face, Naruto couldn't help but feel this was the first time Ino had bothered letting the real her rise to the surface. Past the smiles and past the flirtation, she was just as unsure of him as he was of her, and for the exact same reasons. It hadn't dawned on him before, but now, in this moment, he could see it clearly. While he worried that he might never get over Sakura, she was thinking the exact same thing. And despite that, she continued to smile and laugh and tried her best regardless of the odds stacked against her.

That…was something he could relate to.

He stared at her waiting expression, conflict playing against his eyes. An unsure hand reached out, pausing for a moment before finally settling on her waist. Even this small gesture earned a smile, small but honest, and unlike any he had seen from her.

Naruto… liked that expression; he liked that smile even more than the ones she had worn before. Watching her flirt and play around was fun but it was hard to connect with. Now that he thought about it, she almost seemed like she hadn't been real when she was doing that. Thinking back to when she had been showing off and strutting around in those other outfits he recalled the energy he had felt, that energy that drew him more than any of the outfits she had tried on…that energy, that was right here, right now.

For once, since that day back in his apartment the girl he was touching seemed just as _real_. He'd promised himself and her, a real chance at seeing if they had any kind of chance of being together. Now here she was, wanting to see if they were compatible, trying her best in every way she knew how. Well, maybe it was time to find out.

She said he could do anything, so maybe this was the right place to start.

Never mind that they were in a public changing room, and never mind she wasn't wearing a bra or pants. Lifting one hand from her hip Naruto cupped her cheek and immediately she responded by leaning into his touch. Her eyes closed appreciatively, blissfully, only opening a sliver when he angled her face up towards his own. Eyelashes fluttering, a single gasp passed through her parted lips before Naruto captured them with his own.

Ino melted into the sensation of his lips on hers. Breathing in a deep breath through her nose, she raised her arms from her sides to grab at the lapels of his new shirt, and then to his chest just underneath. Naruto's other hand moved naturally, slipping around her hip, under the fabric of his own shirt to palm at her ample curves. Before he could think better of himself, he was pulling her closer until her soft form pressed flush against his own firmer body.

She tasted sweet. Moving his lips against the girl in his arms, bits of saliva mixed as well as a fair amount of strawberry lip balm. Her lips were soft, a bit like Sakura's but even more different than he could have imagined. Sakura's lips were narrow and thin, always trembling with hesitation and restraint, like a frightened puppy that had to be coaxed out from under a chair. Ino's lips were full, pouty, and moved with the confidence of a large feline stalking its prey. There was no second guessing, no hesitation, and not a hint of restraint.

Always having enjoyed the moments shared with his girlfriend, and looking back on them now he was just as fond of them as when they had happened. But her reactions had always been so slow and timid, no matter how long they had been together. Ino didn't shy away from his affection, and he found those soft lips beginning to move hungrily as she tilted her head to the side to deepen their embrace. Soon he could feel her bottom lip slipping between his, sucking against his face while her hands kneaded and pawing at the muscles of his chest. And all the while Naruto could feel the arousal that he'd been holding back return with full force, not helped by the soft gentle rocking of her backside pushing against his hand.

He'd spent so much time trying to remember what it was like to hold a girl that he forgot what it was like to actually _touch_ one. So soft and warm against him, while the gentle smell of lavender mixed with his own heavy scent wafting around them like a cloud. Naruto could feel a pressure starting to build in his pants, and he was pretty sure Ino could feel it too considering it was pressed against her belly. Breathing through his nose, his mouth opened to suck against her lips again, shivering at the sensations tingling throughout his body.

She was the first to open her mouth for more, slowly and cautiously as though she were afraid she might scare him off again. But he drank in the taste of her breath and returned the gesture without a second thought. Hell, without even a first one. He was so tired of thinking about everything, of being scared and lonely, for feeling guilty about every little thing in his life. This was the first time in a week that he was allowed to just feel what was happening.

And it felt great.

The pair lost themselves in the moment, forgetting about responsibilities and what _should be_ and what could be to _just be_. For Naruto, it was less a sudden explosion of fireworks or anything as dramatic as it was for her though. Instead he found the kiss to be passionate, hot, a slow warmth spreading throughout his body until it felt like he had a fever. Maybe he really was sick? At least that would explain how he could so easily fall into this kind of situation so soon after Sakura, or maybe his heart was big enough to care about two different women.

Something shifted inside him at that thought. This whole time he'd been stuck believing that to care about someone else would mean casting aside his feelings for Sakura. That he would need to betray whatever was left of what they had to feel for another or to have anything with someone else. But maybe it didn't have to be that way? Even as he was kissing Ino right now what he felt for Sakura remained unchanged. But the same could not be said about the girl in his arms, and it was time to see where these new feelings took him.

The tip of Ino's tongue flicked against his own pink muscle, teasing and daring him to follow her back into the moist warmth of her mouth. Tightening his grip on her hip, he did just that, filling the tiny space and tasting the unique flavor that was her. A slow moan rumbled deep from the back of her throat, vibrating against his lips as she began earnestly licking at his small pink appendage, running along its length while trying to coil around it like a serpent.

Their first kiss, except not really, Ino made sure to call upon everything she had learned while in her friend's body. She remembered how he groaned when she moved her tongue in a certain way, the way she was doing right now. She remembered how much he liked it when she pressed her chest against him, her nipples hard and tingling as she rubbed against him. But most of all, she remembered how demanding he could be; enjoying every part of her body as he pleased as though she belonged to him. So when the loving hand against her cheek started to slip down her collar and towards her breast, she was more than happy to make room for him to grab a handful of her soft mounds.

Her breasts felt hot, no doubt the result of the continued friction growing between their bodies. Worse, an ache permeated at the tips of the round globes of soft flesh desperate to be touched and squeezed. When his hand finally settled over the orb, another groan surfaced, encouraging him to do whatever his heart desired.

For Naruto's part, he had far less of an advantage in trying to figure out what made Ino tick than she did in working him over. Everything from that night she had been in Sakura's body and feeling through her nerves. Sure there were some basic similarities and common ground, but for the most part he found himself forced to relearn everything he'd discovered through weeks of alone time with his girlfriend.

Although, he had to admit, Ino already seemed a bit easier to please.

It certainly helped that he wasn't starting _completely_ over when it came to girls. He'd learned a few tricks that appeared to translate, namely how to hold a girl and how much was too rough. Like sparring with a new opponent he had to move slowly, paying special attention to the sounds groaning in his mouth as he started to knead the supple flesh while looking for any flinch or tremor to clue him in.

He started gently, figuring that was the best way to start. Sakura always hated it when he got too excited; complaining that her nipples were too sensitive to be pulled or twisted like some toy. That same sensitivity had been fun to exploit in other ways he discovered later on, but at the moment he was more interested in seeing how Ino responded to the same attention while looking for what set them apart. It didn't take long to find the differences far outweighed the similarities.

Whereas Sakura would have slapped his hand away by now, Ino seemed to revel in the firm pressure of his fingers pressing into her supple skin. That immediately led to him discovering another difference, namely just how much… _bigger_ Ino was than the pinkette. While nobody would say she was busty or stacked, she had a fair bit more than Sakura. Large enough to fill his open hand, there was quite a bit more to work with and explore than he was used to. And as such, he might have gotten a little overeager. Thankfully, the slight mewling tone he'd come to know as a sign of pleasure from the blonde haired girl only grew as the strength in his fingers increased, kneading and rolling the sensitive flesh until it was swollen with color and pleasure.

She was a new girl with her own likes and dislikes, and he couldn't help but consider how much fun it would be finding every one of her weaknesses.

The pair continued like this for a few minutes, the wet smacking of their grasping lips only interrupted by brief groans and breaths as pleasure tingled up their spines. Naruto's hand remained on the shapely breast, playing with it so that it was fun for him and pleasurable for her. But as much as both might have wished to take things even further, it was Naruto who finally pulled away, only to be greeted by a delightfully flushed Ino Yamanaka.

Color blushed throughout her dazed features, a soft red only a few shades lighter than that of her swollen glistening lips. Stretched into a coy smile, the teasing light in her eyes was back, although something more intimate glistened in the sparkling orbs trained on his dizzy features. She'd asked if there was any kind of connection between them. Well, Naruto couldn't help but think they had more than found the answer.

She didn't move to step back and he didn't try and push her away. The two simply enjoyed the closeness and intimacy of the moment. Still feeling her body against his, the hand that had been bold enough to feel her up moved towards the back of her hip, feeling the elastic band of her panties under the warn cotton of his old shirt. A finger traced that line, gently petting her side as they came down from their hormonal high when a mischievous light came to life in her eyes.

"Hmm, is that a kunai in your pocket or am I just that incredible?" Her lips rose in a feline smirk, which widened still as she watched the young man's face flush and awkwardness come to life. But, whereas before he would have apologized or tried to leave, Ino was delighted to see a great grin stretch across his face. Though it was a shame she didn't recognize the signs of a prank in the making. She wasn't the only one that liked to play with others after all.

Ino's bright expression widened, shock mixed with embarrassment erasing whatever attitude she usually wore when Naruto's hand that had been resting innocently against her hip moved with the swiftness of a ninja, dipping between her smooth thighs to draw a single finger against the lightly warmed lips of her aroused sex. And with it, a small amount of arousal that had leaked through the thin cotton while they'd been locked in their embrace.

She wasn't dripping, but there was a definite humidity building between her thighs lingering with the promise of more. He held that finger up now, showing her the glistening substance that clung to it.

His grin shifted, turning foxy. "Hehe, if you're incredible than what does that make me?" a silent chuckle shook his shoulders as Ino went through a slideshow of emotions; eventually settling on forced ambivalence, thoroughly marred by the bright pink color still illuminating her cheeks.

"I suppose that makes you _almost_ as good as me," and when his cheeky grin died she slowly added, a smile forming, "which… admittedly, is still a fair bit better than everyone else." Shivering, she could actually feel her knees quiver as she allowed a little more of her weight to rely on his solid form for support. Unfortunately, whatever retort Naruto might have had was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

"Damn kids!" a sharp and elderly voice called out. The same one both teens recognized as the innocuous old lady working at the register. "You both better come out here this instant! Don't think I don't know what you're up to," her words were followed by another rapping of her knuckles against the door.

"Oh God," Ino groaned into Naruto's chest, hiding her face at having been caught. "Not saying this wasn't worth it, but I don't think I'm going to be able to come back here for a few weeks. And that's considering how much I usually spend." Leaning back, her face pinched in irritation, like this was all some big inconvenience.

For Naruto's part he was just as embarrassed, although for some reason he couldn't get the smile off his face. Ino tore away, unabashedly shedding his shirt in an instant to reach for her bra and discarded dress. Naruto's eyes widened at the brief glimpse of her breasts, seeing them shake as she bent over to pick up her things. But the moment ended far too quickly as she rushed to get ready and face the music. The blond watched all of this, an odd feeling settling in his belly as he watched her glum, almost disheartened features draw against what he'd come to expect to always be bright and bubbly.

He liked that about her, how she was always smiling even when she had no right to. And even if he'd only gotten to enjoy it for a few hours, he wanted to protect that smile just like he had with Sakura. For the first time in a week the young man found himself considering something he'd done his best to all but ignore.

Naruto thought over his next words carefully before speaking. "Um, I'm going to step out, keep getting dressed, and wait for me to come back, okay?" He quickly rushed to make the sentence a question, already picturing his date mystically locked inside the changing room for all of eternity. Clipping her bra behind her back, she turned to face him with a quizzical stare.

"What are, you- wait!" she jumped back out of sight when he moved to open the door. "Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed, but he was already closing the door behind him, leaving her with a disgruntled, "Ughh!" Now, rather than his half naked date, he found himself standing over the pinched wrinkled face of a woman who he could only assume had given birth the parents of the village founders.

She was muttering under her breath, thick glasses magnifying her milky brown eyes to insect proportions while snow white hair that had been pulled back into a messy bun, stood out in wild strands eventually falling down her neck. As soon as the young man approached, she straightened her crooked back to glare, the top of her head still only coming up short of his chin.

Looking up, her already wrinkled features deepened as she squinted, adjusting her bottle thick spectacles. Searching for something, apparently she wasn't _completely_ blind as recognition flashed across her face and in an instant Naruto found himself faced with a vicious frown, nearing a snarl as her toothless gums clenched beneath bared lips. "I should have known…" her quivering tone started.

Naruto had to hold back a sigh. He'd been expecting this of course, but it was still annoying. Putting on a drawn expression, he stuffed his hands into his pockets knowing by now it was best to just grin and bear it.

"Don't think I haven't heard about _you_. Making trouble everywhere you go and disrupting good people's lives just to cause chaos. My niece got caught up in one of your shenanigans, you know. Covered in paint from head to toe, it took my Suki a week to wash it all out of her clothes. To think they let _you_ wear that headband… knowing what _you_ **_are_**." she tsked, staring at the proud leaf symbol emblazoned on the boy's forehead.

"And now you're even here, making trouble in my shop. It's bad enough that you have to make a mess of your own life, now you're starting to poison some good girl? Does she even know what you _are_? Do her parents know about _this_? Well, you can bet your bottom they're going to. I won't sleep at night knowing I sent some innocent child off with some _thing_ like _you_. If she doesn't have common sense then her parents should be more than aware of what kind of influences their child's taken up with." She said more after that, muttering and chastising him while the sound of Ino fumbling on the other side of the door played as a small distraction, but he'd already begun to tune them both out, a chiseled frown starting against his usually bright face.

He'd thought maybe if he stepped out first he could take the brunt of the anger, kids will be kids after all. But he should have known his face would turn some innocent fun into a challenge against morality. The fact that she hadn't recognized him when he'd first walked in was lucky enough, but he was pretty sure that he could have accidentally stumbled into another customer and earned the same results. He was used to this and had been dealing with it for as far back as he could remember. So whenever someone went out of their way to bother him he would either ignore them, or get them back with a prank.

But then she went and threatened Ino.

If this woman talked to her parents Naruto didn't have to guess what would happen. Namely, Ino would be forbidden from seeing him ever again. He'd seen it happen before, sometimes right in front of his eyes as parents stumbled across their children accidentally playing with the 'fox boy'. And as a kid it'd never failed to compound the fact that his own parents had seemingly abandoned him with the obvious confusion of insecurity.

For a time, he had honestly wondered if there had been something wrong with him, if that was why he didn't have a family. Of course, he wasn't a child anymore, and neither was he dumb enough to let the opinion of idiot villagers make him feel anything but exasperation. But that didn't mean he was happy letting them do as they pleased, either, and for once he actually had the power to shut them up _without_ using his fists.

It was as though he felt his very soul flinch. He never actually swore he would never use his power again; he'd simply been scared in the wake of Ino's condition. Though that had been before he knew things could work out between them, when he believed he'd accidentally ruined a girl's life with his thoughtless words, something that was no longer the case. He wasn't totally sold on the idea of spending the rest of his life with the other blonde, but even he wasn't stupid enough not to recognize they had some kind of chemistry between them. And for the first time, he was forced to consider if maybe he'd been too rash to denounce the strange power that had suddenly appeared in his life.

Like any jutsu, it wasn't inherently evil or bad, just potentially dangerous if misused. He needed to be careful, to think about what he was saying before he opened his mouth…something people had been telling him to do his entire life. Scratching at the back of his spiky blond hair, he considered what he should do for a few more minutes before slowly turning his attention back towards the barking old biddy.

"-and let me tell you, when I was a girl my elders would never have stood for-" her tirade finally came to a stop when Naruto spoke up.

"Um, so, hey…" a slow sweat started to drip down his cheek as she continued to stare up at him, blinking against her wide frames. When he said he was going to be careful, he'd meant it, purposefully measuring each word before they finally tumbled past his lips. "You… don't want to… tell Ino's parents," then, quickly he continued, "a-about what happened in the changing room, I mean." Rearing back, the wobbling weight of her head appeared to turn quizzically to the side.

She didn't say anything for a handful of seconds, conflict playing against her face as her droning voice fell below an audible tone. Still she muttered to herself, bulbous eyes shifting to one side and then the next before returning to the blond's face. Finally, irritation managed to play across her visage as she waved a gnarled hand at his stiff posture.

"Feh," she spat. "Not my job to teach dumb girls that don't know well enough when trouble's reaching up their skirt. I'm too old to try and fix the follies of youth. She'll wise up eventually, one way or another." And with a squinting glare, she turned her finger to Naruto's face, waving the wrinkled digit just under his nose.

"But don't think that means you can just do as you like. This is my shop. Been my shop for sixty years, and it will be sixty more before I let _your_ kind in here. I want you and your harlot out that door, and if I find a single scarf missing you can bet I know who to send to your front door." More grumbling and more lip smacking against her dry gums, Naruto felt his insides shrivel up and die at the sight. Still, he wasn't quite finished yet, and this time when he spoke there was a bit more confidence in his voice, and the words flowed much more easily.

"Actually," he punctuated, narrowing his eyes, "you are going to check us out like you would any other customers and let us pay for what we liked." It might be a little obstinate, but the last thing he wanted was for the people he cared about to be effected by his own stigma. He remembered Ino mentioning how often she shopped here, and though it wasn't a ramen stand he could sympathize with having a favorite place to frequent. A slight pause interrupted his voice as a consideration came to mind, ultimately winning out as a devious smile spread across his lips. "And you'll give Ino-chan a discount from now on, for being such a loyal customer."

Pleasure bled into his tone as he watched the old lady struggle with his second command. But of course, after a small bout much like the first, eventually her stubborn expression shifted towards that of begrudged as she huffed and frowned and marched herself back to her spot at the register where she'd greeted them when they entered.

Naruto didn't want to say shutting down a cranky old lady felt good, even when it totally did, but instead decided to focus on the fact that he'd helped his friend; with the store owner's bitter frown as a secondary consolation prize. Grinning more than he had in a week, he was amazed to remember that he'd actually been excited about his power at one point in his life. Even if it felt like a year ago. Still, this was a good example of how he could use his power right, or, at least how he could use it without changing the fate of another person's life. That he should think of this power as any other jutsu he'd learned, having its own time and place for use.

Excitement coursed through him at the thought of what he'd done, which is how Ino found him as she shyly peeked past the changing room door as soon as the conversation had died down.

"Are we clear?" she asked meekly, to which Naruto proudly pointed towards the dower thing safely tucked back behind her counter. In answer, Ino's eyebrows rose unexpectedly and she allowed the rest of herself to appear from behind the door.

She was back in her sundress, the soft skirt swaying gently with each step. Glancing down, Naruto couldn't help but remember what he'd seen and what he now knew was just underneath the thin material. Suddenly he found himself appreciating the way the purple cloth hugged the girl's body a little more, hinting towards her tight shape before lying softly against her round bottom. He could still feel the shape of her large breast resting in his palm, and now he was suddenly curious if her backside would be just a sweet.

"How did you…" she paused, a cautious excitement coming to life in a crooked smile. "Is she really not going to call my parents? I mean, I've been shopping here for years and Ms. Izumi isn't exactly what I would call," she gave a nervous chuckle, "um, _human_? Don't get me wrong, she sells great clothes, but I think I've actually seen kunai softer than that woman." Speaking under her breath, Ino actually seemed slightly afraid of the old bat, which brought a smile to Naruto's face.

"What can I say…?" he gave a nervous chuckle. "I just talked to her. I guess I have a silver tongue?" Ino blinked at that, slowly turning towards him with a saucy smile and raised eyebrow. Naruto felt his eyes widen when she suddenly leaned against him.

"That's good to know, I can't wait to see it" she winked, much to Naruto's confusion. Her flirting slowly waned as something else popped into her mind.

"Hey, so… what did she mean before, when she was talking about you?" When his eyes widened and he turned to stare at her, she had the decency to appear sheepish. "I… could hear through the door, kind of," she pointed at the obviously open area of the booth. "I mean, I know she's not much of a people person but…" she let the sentence drift, the playful joking side of her shifting as honest confusion came to the surface. Naruto could only blink, not at all sure how he was supposed to answer.

"I… totally got her with this wicked prank last year!" he suddenly exclaimed, his foxy grin coming to life as he snickered under his breath. "Wasn't really aiming for her, you know, but stink bombs don't always land where you expect. Man, she probably thinks I'm some kind of monster, I'm surprised she didn't say anything worse!" he gave another belly laugh, internally wincing at the stale tone that reached his ears and the dubious look Ino was giving him.

"I didn't hear her mention anything about a stink bomb…" she considered. If Naruto was one to panic, he managed to keep it well hidden.

"Huh, you must have missed that part?" he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. Feeling his sweat start to build, he quickly looked around for some kind of distraction to change the conversation. Maybe he might need to bring up the fox in his gut at some point, but now was not the time.

"Hey, ah. Guess what? If we hurry up the old lady said she'd give you a discount. Probably just wants to get rid of us, but I'm pretty much done with this place anyway." Then he looked around at the piles of clothes they still had strewn about. "What eh… what am I buying again?" he swallowed against his throat, fingering the slight bulge of his wallet while trying to remember how much he'd thought to bring. Gama-chan was never the fullest of toads, but he did bring some money expecting to take Ino out…somewhere.

Ino stared at him a moment longer, as though she wasn't sure what to think about his behavior. But when the subject of payment came up her suspicion gave way to a familiar mask of confidence, snorting for effect.

"Aw," she cooed while making her way over to two moderately sized piles of folded clothes set aside on the bench. She grabbed the larger one, turning to thrust a combination of pants, shirts and over shirts to him. Naruto recognized them as the 'few' Ino had approved of throughout his little fashion show. "That's cute that you want to pay, but I was the one that dragged you out here so this ones on me," she assured him, flashing a bright smile even when he appeared doubtful. Turning back, she grabbed her own clothes, almost skipping as she started towards the cash register.

Naruto was left to follow her, anxiously laying his own garments next to hers. The old woman didn't say a word to either of them, forcing her frown towards the counter as she went about scanning the items. But as the screen's total continued to climb, Naruto found his doubt turning to real panic before shooting a fearful glare towards Ino's cool demeanor.

"Um, Ino?" he started, far more calmly than he actually felt. In response Ino simply turned her head, blinking innocently as a good B rank mission's pay flashed across the screen right in front of her face. "Are you sure…" he trained off, an awkward cough tickling his throat. Eyebrow raised, she eventually followed his eyes towards the electric screen where the rising total was only then starting to slow. Another few seconds passed before the total was finalized and she gave a knowing smirk.

Ignoring him completely, she simply reached under her sundress where a thigh pouch rested against her pale leg and pulled out a purple clutch. Inside she withdrew a handful of bills larger than Naruto had ever seen, then handed them to the aged crone without a second thought. She grabbed the money quickly, almost slamming the register closed without a word. Ino then grabbed their bags, not sparing the cranky woman another thought as she moved to step towards the door, grinning and skipping as though she didn't have a care in the world.

And all Naruto could was follow after her dumbly, amazement clear against his whiskered cheeks.

Ino turned with a twirl, her smile almost cruel as she whirled around to see her date's expression. Not at all disappointed, she snickered to herself before rolling her eyes with a satisfied sigh. "Oh, stop that already," she admonished, "I promise, it's not nearly as big a deal as you're making it out to be." But when his expression didn't change, she was forced to continue, waving off his frown as though it had no right to settle against his face.

"Look, I'm not exactly hurting for money Naruto-kun. I mean, the Yamanka clan might not have a huge compound like Hyūga or their own district like the Uchiha, but we're still a decent size and each member has to pay a stipend from their mission pay towards the clan coffers. It's part of the family contract if we want to learn the clan jutsu, and since they wouldn't be nearly as strong without those techniques backing them up nobody is going to pass up on such an easy meal ticket."

Seeing the obvious question coming she cut him off before he could ask it. "I don't have any siblings, but my daddy does, and so did his...I'm talking about a _ton_ of aunts, uncles and cousins. Even before I graduated my parents weren't too stingy with my allowance, and working at the family flower shop is separate pay on top of that." Smiling she continued, "And now that I'm a ninja, I'm making even more then I can spend shopping! Well, technically my mission money is supposed to go into a savings account until I reach chunin, mom's idea, but daddy said I can spend it so long as it's an 'emergency.' But if replacing that god awful jacket _wasn't_ an emergency I don't know what is," she finished with a wink and a giggle, neither of which Naruto managed to return, too busy just starting at her in utter shock.

Sure, he knew there were people out there who didn't seem to care about spending money, or, more accurately, didn't need to worry, but it was still strange seeing it right in front of him. What kind of childhood must she have had to throw that kind of cash around without even blinking? Different from his, he was sure. Frowning, an image of his younger self shivering in the dead of night sprang to mind but he banished it as quickly as it had come.

"Geez, if it's _that_ big a deal you can pay for dinner, alright? I know this amazing sushi place, you won't believe their tuna rolls. Hmm, but first," she paused, approaching Naruto with purpose as she unloaded the bags she'd been carrying. He could have sworn the ground actually shook a little from their weight... "Be a dear and give me a hand with these until we find somewhere to kick back a bit." Winking her long eyelashes, Naruto found himself defenseless against the sudden kiss laid against his cheek.

Compared to what they'd just shared in the store, something so innocent shouldn't have affected him nearly as much as it had. But damn if she wasn't cute when she was happy, he couldn't even find it in him to tell her that the idea of eating raw fish was about as appealing to him as a sodium free diet. Instead, he just nodded his head, and wore a damned goofy grin on his face as she led him from the store and back onto the road.

So lost in their little exchange, neither noticed that another had been watching them the entire time...someone with pink hair...someone whose expression had slowly devolved as she watched more and more of their familiar behavior. And someone who had begun to approach them, storming through the thick crowd of people towards the couple just in time to see her ex-boyfriend grin down at her ex-best friend.

Neither noticed her sudden appearance, not until it was too late, and her enraged expression was upon them as they turned to start towards dinner. Only to step back as emerald fire licked at their souls.

"Well, don't you both just look… precious…"

* * *

 **You know what to do. Just one small announcment. Basically, chapters 2,3, and 4 have all but updated with my beta's edits so. i recomend going back and reading them if you thought they needed work becuase they are much better now, no question. And for those of you waiting for SOS, I'm doing my best to finish it by New Year's. Thanks everyone! I hope to see you all in 2018. And be sure to leave a review, favorite or follow.**

 **Next chapter: 2018 –** finally together, the culmination of Sakura, ino, and Naruto's relationship come to a head. Will they fight? Who will win. And most importantly, who will Naruto choose?


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay guys, here is chapter 9 just in the nick of time. For those of you still looking forward to Vault, don't worry I haven't forgotten. Work's just been keeping me busy this month and I might be a day or two late. But it's almost finished. That's all I have to say for now, so enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think. I always love to hear from you guys.**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Tag(s): N/A**

 **Girl(s) N/A**

 **Beta: Lordsofembercelica**

 **Words: 8,237**

"Well, don't you both look _precious_ …"

Looking back on his relatively short life, Naruto wondered if there had ever been a moment where his own actions had come back to bite him in the ass harder than right now.

The answer was a resounding and obvious **no**.

Sakura, Ino. Ino, Sakura, his eyes shifted between the two girls who were busy trying to stare the other down into submission. Ino was slightly taller and had the advantage of being able to look down on her one time friend, but Sakura's eyes shone with a danger and mental fragility that spoke on an instinctual level that she was not to be messed with.

Maybe it would have been better if they were actually glaring at each other and everything was out in the open instead of Ino returning the forced, glacial smile Sakura had approached the young couple with. That false friendliness which was in many ways worse than if they had just started fighting each other right then and there, especially since now the villagers were staring as they walked by, confused more than anything at the odd spectacle. Unfortunately, Naruto found himself in much the same mindset of trying and failing to understand how things could have gone so sour so quickly.

His date with Ino had been going so well too, even if he hadn't been expecting it. To be honest, he wasn't sure _what_ he had been expecting, but still found himself pleased with the results. Enough to continue their evening towards dinner, enough to kiss her, and enough to remember the sensation of her nearly naked body in his hands even when the situation demanded his full attention. Suffice to say, Sakura seeing them together had shifted the mood a fair bit.

 _"_ _Actually, why was she even here?"_ the blond wondered? Only a few hours ago she... It had been hard, watching her walk away from him without saying so much as a word, but at the same time it had helped him, emboldening his courage enough to try and see if he felt anything for her blonde former best friend. There had been a moment, just a moment where she'd looked back at him with an expression he didn't quite know what to make of, but… Whatever her reasons might have been, her actions made it clear she had no interest in mending what they'd once had. What he hoped they could still have. So why did she look upset now?

Well, okay, maybe 'upset' was a bit of an understatement. After knowing, chasing, and dating her for the better part of his life he knew the subtle tells when something was bothering her. Although, something told him you didn't need a map to read that she was furious.

Green eyes, usually so warm and bright were now frozen orbs of jade with an edge sharper than any kunai. They stared into Ino's, matched only by her smile in tone as the lovely pink lips stretching across her face pinched together to make her false cheer into more of a grimace than what she was trying to present.

Even if she had pretended like nothing was wrong, there was far too much rage behind her expression to keep the emotions at bay. In all his years the young ninja had _never_ seen the girl as pissed as she was right now, and he couldn't help but stare at her with a combination of excitement and fear so powerful that it was difficult to think of anything else.

Whatever her reasons, she was here, right now, and talking to him! Well, just one sentence, but it was still more than she had spoken to him all week. Hope was a dangerous thing, but Naruto was a foolish boy who couldn't help but celebrate her sudden appearance. Though, considering the fact he was currently on a date with another girl, that probably wasn't the best idea.

Guilt burned in his chest at that thought, and he turned back to Ino feeling strangely worried. Their time together so far might have been short, but he'd genuinely started caring about the girl who had fallen so in love with him, whether he realized it or not. As such, the idea of her being sad hit him with the same pang of distress that had driven him to work so fervently for his pink haired teammate's happiness. It was the same sense of responsibly that he took upon himself as soon as he realized someone was precious to him.

This was a dangerous trait to have for a shinobi, but it was that same emotional honesty that pulled so many to Naruto's side despite his obvious lack of social experience. Every expression from his heart was powerful, far more than most realized. When he wept, the sadness poured out from the very core of his being, when he smiled, the joy was so pure it infected those around him regardless of their mood; and when he cared about someone, it was more binding than any contract or oath.

True, he was at heart a decent person, and tried to help when he knew someone was in need, but when it came to those he cared for, nothing was held back regardless of how small or great. He would give them the shirt off his back if they were cold, put them first in every way so long as he knew it would make them happy if sad, and he would protect them with his life should they ever be in danger. It was a simple, but integral part of who he was, to the point it practically defined him.

Now, for the first time he found himself faced with the prospect of two people he cared about at odds with one another. And even before they turned their attention on him, he could feel the enclosing sense of reality that he might not be able to satisfy both of their expectations.

Never before had he imagined something could possibly frighten him as much as a world where he was alone.

For the time being, he settled for a measured expression, making sure he didn't seem too happy by the pinkette's arrival for Ino's sake, while keeping himself from looking too bothered for Sakura's. It was the only neutral option he had, and until he knew exactly what was actually going on between the girls it would be the only one he even considered.

"Well?" Sakura asked, finally popping the bubble of silence. Beyond them, the village market was still very much alive with all the background noise one would have expected, loud voices calling out sales and discounts for their weirs, overburdened carts groaning from their heavy loads, and various animal cries sounded from every direction. "Nothing to say for yourself?" The expression she'd been forcing cracked an inch as her 'smile' dipped into an accusatory frown. But Ino just rolled her eyes, brushing the other girl's accusations away like any other annoyance in her life.

As far as Ino was concerned she had nothing to be ashamed of. No matter what Sakura thought of the two blondes, she wasn't about to let the pinkette ruin her and Naruto's first date. True, after everything that had happened between the three of them obviously there was _some_ fault on her end. But she was not going to apologize for falling in love, nor would she feel bad about the methods she'd used to gain her date's attention. After all, Sakura was just bitter that she'd been stupid enough to actually break up with him and let him go, only to regret it once she realized it was too late and just what she had given up.

At least… she _hoped_ it was too late.

Ino's smirk remained fixed despite her doubts. Rather than deny her rivals claims, the blue eyed girl decided it was best to show exactly how close she and the blond boy were now. So, without a hint of shame, she just shrugged her shoulders before sashaying towards her date with a not so subtle sway of her hips until…

Both Sakura and Naruto watched in disbelief as she wrapped her arms around one of his, trapping it between her breasts and almost purring as she smiled at her former friend.

The meaning behind the gesture was clear, after all Sakura couldn't deny the obvious claim her rival was trying to make when she was holding Naruto to her like a child clutching a doll to her chest. She might as well have yelled, "Mine!" for all the maturity it displayed. Regrettably, even if she could see through Ino's actions that didn't mean she was immune to their effects. And despite herself, Sakura couldn't deny the burst of jealousy that exploded within her at seeing another woman touch her teammate in such a way.

Jealousy that she had to stifle, less her feelings come to light. But just as she could see through her former friend, Ino seemed just as capable of seeing through her if the way her lips curling in such a shamelessly smug state of satisfaction were anything to go by.

"Don't we just!" the blonde challenged, pressing her breasts even harder against the boy's arm while shifting her weight to rub them along the firm surface. Even with her bra and dress preventing any direct contact, their make out session from a few minutes ago still hummed through her body, keeping her knees weak and the tips of her breasts hard. Feeling her date shiver under her, she had no doubt he could feel the effects of his affection and was picking up on the not so subtle reminder of what she had to offer.

"Besides, you broke up with him, remember? What business of yours is it who he dates? Or me, for that matter?" The dare didn't go unnoticed as Sakura was forced to take a step back, her face twisting into an expression of worry. For someone who complained about always thinking too much, she'd rushed in pretty fast with no explanation for her confrontation. Suddenly, all her plans to mend her and Naruto's relationship were out the window.

Ino watched the girl and felt relief suffuse her chest. That had been a gamble, and a risky one at that. But she knew she could always rely on the brainy nerd backing down from any kind of confrontation. Some might call it dirty, but this was a war as brutal as any conflict between nations with a prize more valuable than any territory. A prize she now had claim to, marked by her firm grip and the rather visible colors he now wore.

Tightening her fingers against Naruto's shirt, a sliver of worry returned despite her small victory. Yes, she was scared, far more than her airy and smug demeanor belied. She'd been expecting this moment after all. Just not this soon, having hoped that they would have the chance to go on at least a few more dates before Sakura caught wind and confronted them. That would have given her the time to worm her way into Naruto's heart and steal whatever space the pinkette had once occupied, and then build enough strong ties and pleasurable memories to ward off any chance of him leaving her for his longtime crush.

Right now she had her foot in the door, but that was about it.

She wasn't stupid enough to think Naruto had stopped loving her rival any less than he had a week ago, not after all the years he had chased after her. That meant right now, the only thing giving her a fighting chance was her reliance on Sakura's weak will and complete lack of being able to react to situations or improvise on the fly. Ever since the academy she had always been the type to think everything through, consider each option and weigh them out accordingly. Which was just fine in her book because by the time the pink haired girl's battle plans were drawn Ino would have already won the war with her blond trophy proudly on display.

That did not mean she was cocky however, as it wouldn't have surprised her to find out Sakura had already planned _something_ in case anything like this happened while the two were still together. Not to mention Naruto himself was still as much of a wildcard for her as he was against her. If he thought for a moment Sakura wanted to get back with him, she doubted there was anything she could do to sway him to her side, at least this soon.

Right now the best course of action she could take was to get her date as far from the other girl as possible before Naruto started to realize Sakura wasn't nearly as fed up with him as she had led him to believe. That meant she needed to keep on the offensive and not give Sakura a chance to think, the time to plan, or the opportunity to act. Just keep hammering her down until she was the frightened, self-conscious little forehead girl she'd picked up like a stray puppy all those years ago.

"Thanks for that by the way," Ino said as she lolled her head to the side and lay her cheek against the blond's shoulder. Even as he flinched at the sudden intimacy she didn't let it give her pause. "You wouldn't believe how easy it is to land a good catch when someone else is stupid enough to just leave it and walk away." As though she were showing off just what Sakura had 'walked away' from, she ran her hand down his chest possessively, all the while Naruto stood there pink faced and as awkward as any young man would have in his place.

It was like he wasn't even there, but just some random object they were talking about. The feeling was strange, but also relieving in a sense because it kept him out of the discussion itself. As long as he didn't draw their direct attention he was perfectly safe and could just stand there like he was. Although if Ino kept squishing her breasts against him the way she was he might have to thank her later for picking out such loose pants.

He quickly turned his mind to something else.

"Walked," Sakura shrugged nonchalant, lifting her left hand and then her right before continuing, "stabbed in the back and pushed off a cliff, the same thing really." Narrowing her eyes she dropped the gauntlet, "at least for monsters without any kind of morals."

"Monster?" Ino snorted. "Really, you're resorting to name calling?" she shook her head in mock exasperation. "Listen billboard brow, it's not my fault you don't know how to look out for an ambush. I thought ninja were supposed to always be aware of their surroundings? Maybe you should spend less time dating and more time honing your skills, or lack thereof." She finished with a smirk and slight arch of her back to accentuate her breasts, hitting as many of Sakura's weak points as possible in one go. Unfortunately, rather than become cowed by her attack, it only fanned the young girl's flames.

"Bloated pig, how is it not your fault!? You literally _attacked_ me in the middle of the village with your squad. As in actual _assault_. I wonder what your dad would say if he knew you used your clan justu against a comrade?" Ino paled at that threat but refuse to let it show. Instead she gritted her teeth against the smile that lifted Sakura's cheek.

"I dare you…" the blonde slowly narrowed her eyes, "because I bet aunty Mebuki would be just as thrilled to find out how you've actually been spending your afternoons for the last month." It was a shot in the dark, but she remembered enough of the stern older woman to know she most likely wouldn't approve of her daughter getting pounded into a mattress day after day. And judging from the way Sakura shrank back it only confirmed Ino's suspicions. She smirked at her return, but only long enough to see the other girl curling her hands into fists.

The longer they talked the more heated the air between them grew. Unconsciously, they'd already started to step closer and closer until Sakura could smell the candy sweet perfume wafting from her rival's throat. It only incited the rage burning in her belly to grow hotter, feeding strength into her deceptively thin arms. Arms Ino knew better than to think were weak having seen firsthand the threat those fists presented.

She'd mocked the other girl's abilities as a ninja, yet against a completely heterosexual woman her strongest skills were rendered useless. If it really came down to a straight up fight she could probably match the pinkette in terms of speed, but if Sakura actually managed grab her and land a hit before she could escape… The green eyed girl's raw physical strength was way more than what Ino could hope to handle without at least a broken bone for her troubles. Before she could stop herself, she found her sandaled foot stepping back on the packed dirt path of the road.

Sakura took a step forward.

Her clenched fist began to rise, only for Naruto to finally make his presence known, placing himself between the two and drawing their attention to him. It might not have been the smartest choice, but he'd started enough fights to know when one was about to go down. And even if they hadn't noticed the small ring forming around them as people stopped to see the two about to go at it, he had. This was getting dangerous on a lot of levels, but he at least could heal from whatever happened to him.

The two just glared at him as he searched for what to say, never having even imagined himself in this kind of situation before. Sweat pooled down his cheek and he swallowed against his dry throat before forcing a smile. "Hey, ah, guys," he slowly lowered his hands, "maybe, can't we all just try and calm down a little?" The crowd that had been building around them started to break away back into the flow of foot traffic in disappointment when it became apparent there would be no 'cat fight' and he sighed in relief.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long.

"I am calm!" they both shouted in unison, only to blink and glare over Naruto's shoulders at each other as they had been before. Naruto couldn't help but stare, marveling at just how similar the two really were in every way that actually mattered.

Sakura huffed, taking a step back to rest a hand against her hip. "But," she added pointedly, "say I wasn't for just a moment, I think it would be perfectly understandable considering I just found my ex-boyfriend out on a date with the conniving bitch that broke us up in the first place." The expletive did not go unnoticed, and Ino's jaw dropped as her head jerked back. Snapping her mouth closed her lips pealed back over clenched teeth as Ino returned to her side of the invisible ring to mirror Sakura's attitude.

Ino sucked her breath in against her teeth, showing a particularly unattractive expression as she fired back. "And say I wasn't, I think it would be perfectly understandable considering my date is being interrupted by a flat chested troll who has no business saying anything about who we choose to see."

 _'_ _Not to mention he wasn't doing anything to make her go away,_ ' she silently added, too afraid to actually voice that particular annoyance. She knew better than to give him an ultimatum between her and Sakura, but it didn't make things any less annoying. She turned that irritation back on her former friend, having grown tired of seeing her face. Whatever civility she pretended to allow was gone from her expression as a grave coldness broke the mask of beauty she tried so hard to uphold.

"Seriously, what are you even doing here?" her emotionless tone made the words even more harsh than the situation itself. One would be forgiven for thinking it was impossible that the two were ever close friends. "You don't have any reason to be this upset, you were the one that said you wanted him to leave you alone, remember? And you were the one that said you didn't want to date him. You can't get mad now just because he's starting to see that he can actually do better." The accusation was just as much of a threat. She felt Naruto stiffen at the cruel words, but her eyes stared the other girl down, daring her to make her move. It was time to see just how much she was willing to put on the line, or if this was just another case of Sakura wishing she was stronger than she actually was.

Ino's words were everything Sakura had hoped to avoid, and before she could stop herself her eyes looked towards Naruto, who was now turned to face her. His eyes were light, and his brow drawn up, apparently just as interested in her answer as Ino. Unfortunately, his attention only further stressed what she was already forced to consider.

She had come out with a mission and with the goal in mind of winning back Naruto, then apologizing for how she had been acting. But, that had been before she found him out and about with her arch nemesis. There was so much she didn't know now, too many variables, and she suddenly found herself at a loss for to how to continue.

There was of course the option of coming clean as she had planned on doing, pouring her heart out in front of the entire village about her insecurities and everything that she fought so hard to keep hidden beneath the surface of her personality. But the cold sweat starting against the small of her back made clear just what she thought of that plan, and how much courage she really had. The words were there, right at the back of her throat, just two little words. _"I'm sorry."_ But they refused to rise, not here, not now, not in front of Ino and all these other people.

Because if she was wrong, and Naruto really had moved on, the humiliation of his rejection on top of everything else would destroy her completely.

Her eyes shifted from Naruto to Ino, then back to Naruto as she once again felt herself caught between the shadows of fear and indecision, the same giants she struggled to escape all her life. That the two people standing before her had thus far been the only ones to give her the strength to overcome those personal demons was not lost on her. Their waiting in anticipation of her answer however only forced more pressure on her flailing courage, causing her mouth to open but no words to come out. Finally deciding on her choice, that same fear bore down into cold anger marked by the glare she aimed towards her former friend, as well as herself. Hands clenched at her side, she finally found her voice, and the emotions rolling within her thin frame stressed each letter as they slipped passed her lips.

"I-I could care less who Naruto wants to see," she managed to force out even though the pain of those words alone was nearly enough to send her home right then and there. Without warning, her face angled just enough for the bright green of her eyes to peer through the long curls of her dark rimmed eyelashes. The effect wasn't lost on Ino, who immediately took another step back, despite herself.

"I could care less about him, but **you**?" she shook her head. "After what you did, there is no way in hell I'm just going to sit back and let you be happy." She crossed her arms having set her bags down and lifting her head high as if in challenge.

All Ino could do was blink.

"Excuse me?" she all but scoffed as she stepped around from behind Naruto. Mouth open the blonde haired girl absorbed her rival's words, well aware that they were the biggest load of bullshit she'd ever heard, which was impressive given how many years she and Kiba had been classmates. That being said, Ino was forced to realize the pinkette had effectively reversed the situation, and now it was she who found herself on the defensive.

It was actually a half way decent lie. Yet even if she was dodging the truth, it didn't change what actually mattered as far as the mind walker was concerned.

Sakura Haruno, the girl who had never once been able to stand on her own two feet, and who had always depended on someone else to protect her was standing her ground and fighting back.

"Well too bad!" Ino took another step forward, meeting the wall of unexpected stubbornness with a haughty display of her own. "In case you haven't noticed, _we_ are already on a date," she pointed back towards the young man who was still stuck staring at the pair in silence. Suddenly thrust in the spotlight, his blue eyes widened and the sweat on his forehead started down the nape of his neck.

"See? He already agreed to go on a date with me. It's done, you're too late, and there is nothing you can do about it," flipping her ponytail over her shoulder she snorted. "Unless of course you're just planning to annoy us for the rest of the day, because I can promise you that we aren't going to let you stop us from have a delightful evening."

Meant to be sarcastic and biting, Ino's Hale Mary came back to bite her on the ass as Sakura's eyes widened with realization. The blonde backtracked immediately, only then realizing her mistake. "No," she shook her head in denial, but the dark smile had already started to stretch across Sakura's pale cheeks. "You wouldn't," she knew deep down that Sakura would. Even if it seemed childish, if it meant making sure nothing 'romantic' happened between her and Naruto, Sakura was willing to make the sacrifice.

It was petty, but given what she herself had done to quite literally steal Naruto out from… under her, she would be lying if she said she wouldn't have done the same thing. After all, she had written the book for how to make another girl's life miserable for crossing you, and had done similar things in the past.

"Seems like you've made it pretty clear what is and isn't allowed anymore." Sakura's confidence tripled at the sight of Ino's flailing attempts to regain her ground, and while she wasn't sure what it was, she could feel something good welling within her at seeing the always confident teen trembling in barely restrained fury. "You stole my body and seduced my boyfriend, so I think turnabout is only fair. You started this war and now you have to deal with the consequences."

Ino could do nothing but glare at her rival, idly wondering if she had always been this annoying, or if this was yet another side effect of spending so much time around her blond teammate. She could already see Sakura had all but thrown off her shame, determined to interrupt them at all the best moments. It's not like she could technically stop her either, not unless she wanted to fight her…and she already knew how that would turn out. Suddenly, it was like her entire day was going down the drain after it had finally started looking up.

"But…" her expression trembled, and before she could stop herself she found her eyes turning towards her date for help. Knowing that it was a mistake even before he opened his mouth.

Naruto blinked at his date, and again as Sakura followed suit, waiting to hear his response and to see which side he would take. Honestly, he was lucky to have been able to stay out of their argument for this long. But feeling his heart rate speed up and a cold sensation settle in his gut, he found himself struggling as to what to do in this little struggle.

He couldn't tell Sakura to leave. He just… that wasn't going to happen. He didn't care if this was to get back at Ino or him or whatever. Not more than the fact he was actually hearing her voice after what felt like so long. She was talking to him, or, well, Ino, but she was looking at him! And if he got to spend more time with her then maybe it could lead to talking, which could lead to forgiving, which could lead to… something? Something good? Something better than what they had now at least? Even if she said it herself that she didn't care who he was with, he wanted to be friends with her, which is why it was so hard knowing that he _couldn't_ invite the pink haired girl along with them.

He was on a date with another girl. A girl he'd accidently brainwashed into loving him and rendered incapable of loving anyone else, true, but a girl he'd just found a semblance of a connection with. A girl who, not even ten minutes ago he'd been kissing and touching and marveling at how incredible she was while she was doing the same to him! It wasn't even really about guilt any more, at least not entirely. He _liked_ Ino; enough that he wanted to see where these emotions could go given enough time. But his feelings for Sakura were already there and he already loved her, which brought him to the core of his issue.

He needed to hurt one of them, right here and right now. So did he take the _possible_ chance with the girl he loved who didn't love him back, or did he pick the sure thing that he didn't love yet, but might, and who he knew already cared about him more than Sakura had ever shown? It was an impossible decision for the fifteen year old boy to make, and one that grew even more impossible as time stretched and the pair of girls continued to stare him into the floor waiting for his answer. Until finally, an epiphany…

A gasp rose from his chest and his eyes widened as he realized that maybe he was thinking about this all wrong! Maybe he needed to consider what each girl _wanted_ from him rather than what they were **asking** of him. With Sakura, all she was saying was that she wanted to come along with them on their date. She also wanted to ruin their date, but he could keep her from doing anything too bad. What was important in his mind was that she got to come with them, which actually didn't directly interfere with Ino's plans. After all, what she wanted was for the two of them to get to know each other better. She wanted a chance for them to talk and hang out, along with other things but he wouldn't think about those right now.

What was important was that he _could_ give them what they both wanted and make both of them happy.

His thoughts now settled, he narrowed his eyes into a determined expression as he looked between the girls. Finally settling on Sakura, he moved to voluntarily pull Ino closer against his side. "Sakura," he started, his voice surprisingly firm. The pink haired girl flinched back at his tone, fear coming to life in the face of his rejection. "Me and Ino are on a date, and you need to respect that."

Chastised by Naruto Uzumaki of all people, on respect of all things? Shame flushed through Sakura's features. In contrast, Ino turned a shocked expression up at his cool expression. Blinking, the warmth she experienced while in Sakura's body returned, gentle but firm, and without any of the bitter jealousy to taint the experience. And then… he turned his attention to her, his face still just as impassive.

"Ino, Sakura is my teammate, and if we do start dating or even if we decide to just stay friends I want you to get along. And since Sakura said she wanted things to go back to the way they used to be between you, it just makes even more sense." THAT earned a sharp look and raised brow from the blonde who looked at her rival with disbelief. Sakura responded with a fresh blush, hating that Naruto had brought up that particular conversation now of all times.

"That… that was before…" the pink haired girl finally mumbled. Before she and Naruto had broken up, before her rival had stolen her body and used it to ruin her relationship. Her answer calmed Ino, who for a moment looked as though the entire world had turned upside down.

Naruto continued ignoring both. "I don't care. If nothing else, Ino is my friend, and Sakura is my friend, and that means both of you are going to be seeing each other enough that I don't want you fighting. Which is why…" he took a deep breath, "I think Sakura should come with us." In a comical display, Ino's hopeful expression crashed into the floor while Sakura's downturned features jumped up in surprise.

"This is still our date," Naruto quickly reassured, the nervousness he'd been trying to keep at bay finally seeping through his mask. "We're just going to let Sakura come along is all. We can still have a great time and this way everyone can learn to get along!" Both girls stared at him, only this time it was they who didn't know what to say. Ino especially struggled, hating how things had devolved but nowhere nearly as much as she hated that she couldn't even argue against it. It had been her suggestion that they just go out to get to know each other better after all…

Sakura was inclined to agree with her thoughts, for once. He and Ino were friends? Since when?! It was almost worse than when she thought they were just physical, and she struggled to understand how such a nice guy like Naruto could find anything redeemable about a girl like Ino.

Well, despite the obvious of that she had been grinding against his arm the last fifteen minutes. So, she decided to just ask him just that.

"Why?" she shook her head, pink hair swaying in the breeze. "Why would you ever want to be friends with her? She's the reason everything happened, why everything was ruined between us. How could you do anything but blame her?" Blame her like she had; hate her like she still did! Naruto's eyes widened at the question, and he found himself turning to glance at Ino who did nothing but glare daggers at her rival.

Rather than look confused or rueful, Naruto surprised them both with a saddened expression. Although, it was not for any of the reasons they might have thought.

It was so simple to forget the part he had to play in everything that had happened that day. How his power had been responsible for almost everything. At the time, it had been easy to mistake Ino's lack of interest as Sakura's usual begrudging acceptance, and it was so easy to forget that he'd been the one to push her towards what Sakura had found them in. First the kiss, then the shower, and then everything that followed had been due to him pushing things like he always did.

Sakura thought that it had all been her rival's fault, that she'd taken her body for the sole purpose of sleeping with her boyfriend. And the worst part was, there wasn't even a way for him to make what had really happened clear to her. The best he could do was try and mend what he'd broken, conveying the emotion through his eyes as he answered Sakura's sharp question.

"I think _everyone_ made mistakes that day," he answered with a soft tone. "I'll take my fair share of the blame, I know I deserve it. But if I've learned anything, if life has taught me anything, it's that holding a grudge and hating people who only want to hurt you is exhausting and not worth it. But people also make mistakes, some they can't take back. When that happens, all you can do is decide if they were too big to move on from, or if you still want them to be a part of your life."

Maybe his experience in what he was talking about shown through his eyes enough to convince her, or maybe Sakura's rage had already abated over the last week. For whatever reason, her glare slowly died leaving a trace mix of sadness, shame, and oddly enough, determination.

She wasn't convinced, not entirely. But she could see where he was coming from at least enough to understand what he was saying. As much as she agonized over what had happened, in the end there really were only two choices left for her. Leave and let go of anything that might be, or fight as hard as she could for everything that could be. It was a small solace, but one she thought she needed regardless of the outcome.

For once in her life, she wanted to look back on something and know she did everything she could, that she fought until there was nothing left to fight for. She was tired of giving up, tired of seeing everything she wanted pass her by, and she was tired of depending on other people. There would be no more backing down and no more telling herself that this was just the way things were.

"Okay," she nodded in understanding of her situation. Looking to Naruto first, though when her gaze shifted towards the second blonde her eyes still stung with distrust and no small amount of challenge. "I'll be good as long as she is. We're just three friends hanging out and getting along. Is that alright with you, _Ino_?" she made sure to stress her former friend's name, showing just how amicable she could be.

Said blonde naturally rose to the occasion.

"The more the merrier," her voice dripped with sugar, contrasting against the clear and pointed stare currently doing its best to stab the other girl through her stupid pink head. "If Naruto wants us to get along then I think it's high time we put the past behind us and started over. I for one can't wait until we're all the best of friends, _Sakura_." Ino returned the favor, eliciting a spark between their stares that belied anything but cooperation.

Poor, gullible Naruto continued to smile at what he was seeing, simply happy to take both girls at their word rather than their intent.

"Thanks guys!" he stepped towards them both and put his hands behind his head. "Having more friends is always great, right?" His face twisted into a laugh as he was allowed to breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe this could actually turn out alright? He always had been the foolish kind of hopeful. But in a way, it's what made him so endearing. Who else but Naruto could look at his situation and see anything but the start of a much longer and dangerous battle?

"Hey, Sakura! Me and Ino were about to go check out some fancy sushi place, you hungry?" Ino frowned at the free invitation but knew better than to throw a tantrum when standing on thin ice. Sakura was in it for the long haul and now it was time for her to play the good little girl her daddy saw when she skipped into the kitchen each week to ask for her allowance.

"The best in town," Ino smiled pleasantly, only her eyes belying her reluctance. "You still like fish, right? You **have** to try the fugu, it's to die for," _"Hopefully literally,"_ went unsaid in the same surgery tone. Sakura returned her rivals expression, her tone no less pleasant as she politely offered a counter proposal by bringing out the big guns without a shred of remorse.

"Actually," she started, and pretended to think for a minute while Ino went on guard, "I'm kind of in the mood for something a little more… simple." She turned to Naruto, completely innocent in the way she tilted her head and tapped her bottom lip with one finger. "Would either of you mind if we ate at Ichiraku's? I mean, I'm fine with whatever plans you two had, I just wanted to see if either of you were interested?" Allowing the smallest of smiles to twist the edge of her cherry pink lips her gaze peeked towards a cautious Ino who didn't know how to respond right away.

Naruto, however, had no such issues.

"Ichiraku's!" Sakura had to suppress a giggle at his reaction, his head perked up almost like a dog just at hearing the name alone. "Wait, no way, I thought you said you hated them?" He seemed at war with himself as to whether he should be excited or suspicious by this turn of events. The pink haired girl just shrugged her shoulders, shifting her green eyes in a dispassionate way despite soaking up his attention like a sunflower on a hot summer afternoon.

"What can I say? It's been a while and I guess it grew on me a bit. But if you guys would rather have sushi…" she trailed off, already knowing she'd won this round. She wasn't disappointed as Naruto suddenly whipped around to face Ino wearing a pitiful expression begging for her to agree.

Now it was Ino's turn to stare as she struggled to understand just what was happening here. Ichiraku's? The name sounded…familiar but she couldn't quite remember why. Obviously it was somewhere to eat, but beyond that she was clueless. Feeling left out was never a great experience, even less so in this situation where she could feel her rival stealing control from her. Still if she'd learned anything it was better to fake confidence than admit ignorance.

"Um," she stammered, her cool mask slipping for a moment before she collected herself. Being perfectly honest, she didn't really care where they ate, she was just trying to impress the blond boy like she had when she picked out and paid for their clothes, flaunting everything she had to offer him. The only thing that gave her pause now was that Sakura had been the one to suggest it. And of course any thought of shooting her idea down was thrown away the moment she saw her date's hopeful pleading expression. "Sure!" she immediately agreed, laughing away whatever feelings of unease tried to crawl up her spine. "I'm up for whatever, just as long as everyone's _happy_." At this last bit her expression shifted towards Sakura who'd allowed her devious expression to show from behind Naruto's oblivious shoulder.

Ino wasn't able to retaliate while directly under Naruto's stare, but that quickly shifted as he let loose an excited cheer at the change in direction their evening had taken. Pumping his fist in the air, he didn't hesitate to start down the path towards the familiar stall, careful not to leave his two lady friends behind while still politely (for Naruto) encouraging them to hurry. Both young women quickly started after his waiting expression, allowing him to turn back and hurry towards his favorite eatery.

Watching him, Ino's confused expression shifted as soon as Sakura slipped next to her, matching her pace after retrieving the bags she had set down earlier and wearing an expression the blonde had never seen on her usually nervous face. Whatever it was, it was strangely…familiar, extremely familiar actually but she couldn't place where she had seen it before. If she had to describe it in a single word, she would say that her former friend appeared… confident, almost but not quite intimidating. Something that by itself was enough to warrant a wide expression of her own. Then she opened her mouth, and spoke with an even more eerily familiar tone of voice.

"I'm not the same girl you knew," her words were hushed, just barely loud enough to be heard over the din of the village while low enough to go unnoticed by the boy still marching twelve paces ahead. Her eyes facing forward, she didn't even bother looking at Ino as she continued, "I'm telling you now so you can't say you were cheated or have any other excuse. Don't expect the same little girl who couldn't do anything without your help and who just gave up all the time."

Now looking at Ino, the pressure behind her spirit weighed even more as the blonde swallowed against her throat. "I might not be from a rich family, or have your curves, but I've been putting up with Naruto since our first year at the academy, I've been on his team for three months, and dated him for over a month, so I _know_ him. I know more about him then you ever could just from jumping in bed with him, and I'm going to use everything I have to win him back. You might have always been better than me at everything else, but when it comes to loving Naruto, no one will ever beat me."

Glancing back towards Naruto's easy gait and relaxed posture, Ino could see he hadn't noticed what was going on behind him. Taking a deep breath, she schooled her features back into the same mask of confident perfection she always wore in the face of a challenge.

Her blue orbs turned to meet Sakura's, her will lashing out in an attempt to dominate the competing female. "Sounding a little overconfident there, Forehead." She kept her voice quiet, although her mocking rang clear as a bell. "You forgot I'll have the rest of our lives to get to know Naruto-kun better. Unfortunately for you, all the time in the world won't help you grow a pair of breasts. Whatever chance you thought you had has long since passed, and now it's _my_ time to shine. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because of what's happened. Love is war, and there are only two rules when it comes to war."

"First, the strong win and the weak lose."

Without another word, Ino broke their staring contest to reach for her skirt, and then loosened the cloth belt pulling the material against her tiny waist. Her steps continued uninterrupted as she started to roll the material onto itself, slowly drawing the hem swishing along her calves, then her knees higher and higher. Soon, the impressive length of her smooth, pale legs was almost completely bared, the bottom of her dress reaching just a few inches lower than mid thigh. Only then did she tighten her belt, pinning the cloth in place. Sakura watched all of this with her jaw dropping at the shameless display.

Ino just smirked.

"And second, you are only as strong as your weapons." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she didn't spare the other girl another glance as she rushed forward to meet Naruto's excited pace. Her arms quickly finding themselves wrapped around his as they had been earlier while she hugged herself to him as tightly as possible. Sakura watched it all silently fuming, but knew better then to act on impulse. Ino only had so many cards to play after all, powerful as they might be. But Sakura had a few up her own sleeve, and allowed the tactical aspect of her brain to play out their evening as she would over any pre-mission briefing.

She was already several moves ahead of the blonde after all. Even better, she didn't need her team to knock out and tie Ino up to crash her date, Naruto **invited** her, and not because she tricked him by pretending to be someone else. She also knew that she didn't have to dress like an Academy dropout posing for a Playninja centerfold to catch his attention.

Ino might have gotten the highest scores in the preliminary seduction courses offered to pre-graduates, but no one in their class came close to touching her marks for battle planning and strategy. She welcomed her friend to flirt as much as she liked, because by the end of the night Sakura felt confident that it would be the last time she would ever have the pleasure of hanging off Naruto's arm.

That was a promise.

 **A/N: That's all for this month. Just letting you know, there is only going to be about two more chapters in this arc before we move onto wave. I know the buildup has been slow and a few of you are getting frustrated by the lack of smut. But that's the way I like to write. There are a lot of other stories that jump straight into the action without any kind of reasoning or plot but I've always enjoyed those types of scenes more when I understand the context and reasoning behind their relationships past, I'm horny. However you feel, don't be afraid to leave a comment or review. I'm always happy to get feedback. Thank you all in advance.**

 **Next chapter: February – Naruto finds himself on a date with two women who both vie for his affection. If a battle of the heart and neither are willing to back down this time, determined to settle things between them once and for all. Between blond beauty and ruthless strategy, who will capture his heart? And most importantly, how will Naruto handle breaking one woman's heart? He can only ride the middle road for so long. But then, he's not called the most unpredictable knucklehead for no reason…**


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